Vatican calms down – “White flag”: Zelensky rejects Pope’s appeal

“When Russian evil started this war on February 24, all Ukrainians stood up to defend themselves. Christians, Muslims, Jews – everyone,” Zelensky said. He thanked all Ukrainian military chaplains. They are on the front lines, they protect life and humanity, they support with prayers, conversations and actions. “That’s what the church is – with people.”

“Armed Ukrainians under the blue-yellow flag”
In his speech, Zelensky referred directly to the Pope’s comments in an interview with Swiss television. The Russian ‘murderers and torturers’ would only not move further into Europe because they would be stopped by armed Ukrainians ‘under the blue and yellow flag’. Many walls of houses and churches in Ukraine that were ‘once white’ have been burned and destroyed by Russian shells. “And that says a lot about who has to stop so that the war can end,” said the Ukrainian head of state.

With his misleading call for peace negotiations in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the Pope provoked massive opposition. The statements by the head of the Catholic Church were interpreted in Ukraine and by many of its supporters as a unilateral call on Kiev alone – and by some even as a call to surrender. In view of the difficulties faced by the Ukrainian army, the 87-year-old also used the word “white flag” – for centuries the sign of surrender in times of war, that is, surrender without fighting against enemy forces.

The Vatican felt compelled to explain
The Pope’s words that Ukraine must “have the courage to raise the white flag and negotiate” were broadcast by the media on Saturday evening. They come from an interview by the head of the Catholic Church with the Italian-language Swiss broadcaster RSI, which will be broadcast in full on March 20. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni rushed to classify the statements. In a report by ‘Vatican News’, which was also published in Ukrainian, Bruni specified that the Pope wanted “above all to call for a ceasefire and to revive the courage to negotiate.”

With his statements, the Pope took over the image of the white flag that the interviewer introduced, Bruni explained. The meaning of the statement is that Francis wants a “diplomatic solution for a just and lasting peace.”

I adopted the interviewer’s wording
In the interview, journalist Lorenzo Buccella asked the Pope: “In Ukraine there are people who demand the courage to surrender, to raise the white flag. But others say it would legitimize the strongest. What do you say to that?” To which Francis replied: “That is one way of interpreting it. But I think the one who recognizes the situation, who thinks about the people, who has the courage to show the white flag and negotiate, is stronger. And today you can negotiate with the help of international powers. The word ‘negotiation’ is a bold word.”

“Don’t be ashamed to negotiate”
The Pope continued in the interview: “When you see that you are defeated, that things are not going well, you must have the courage to negotiate. You are ashamed, but how many deaths will there ultimately be? Negotiate in time and find a country that is willing to mediate. Nowadays, for example during the war in Ukraine, there are many who want to mediate. Turkey has volunteered for this. And others. “Don’t be ashamed to negotiate,” the church leader continued.

“At another point in the interview, in which he speaks of another conflict situation but refers to any war situation, the Pope further made it clear that negotiation is ‘never a surrender,’” the Vatican spokesperson explained.