Pope Francis said that in the war in Ukraine one should have “the courage of the white flag” and “negotiate”, which is a “brave word”, to achieve an end to the conflict, in an interview with Swiss Radio Television which some excerpts were published today.
«I believe that he who sees the situation, who thinks about the people, who has the courage to carry the white flag, to negotiate, is stronger. And today it can be negotiated with the help of international powers. “The word negotiate is a brave word,” said the pontiff, taking up the expression «White flag» previously used by the interviewer.
“When you see that you are defeated, that things are not going well, you must have the courage to negotiate,” added the pontiff.
In the same sense and referring to the Gaza war, the pope said: “Negotiating is never giving up.”
The interview will be broadcast in full on March 20.
“Do not be ashamed to negotiate, before the situation worsens,” said Francis, who has made numerous calls for peace in the “martyred Ukraine” and who sent his envoy for the conflict, Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, to meet with authorities in Kiev, Moscow and Washington.
After the interview was published, the Holy See clarified that the pope is not talking about surrender but rather about negotiation, according to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni, cited by Italian media.
«The pope uses the term white flag, and responds by taking the image proposed by the interviewer, to indicate with it the cessation of hostilities, the truce reached with the courage of negotiation. At another point in the interview, speaking of another conflict situation, but referring to any war situation, the pope clearly states: ‘negotiation is never surrender,'” he said.
According to Bruni, “the pope’s wish remains the one he has always repeated in recent years (…): ‘As I renew my deepest affection for the tormented Ukrainian people and pray for all, in particular for the countless innocent victims, I implore that Let us find that bit of humanity that will allow us to create the conditions for a diplomatic solution in the search for a just and lasting peace.’ EFE
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