Kyiv slams Pope’s call for negotiation with Russia

KYIV: Ukraine on Sunday slammed Pope Francis’ call to negotiate with Russia two years into its invasion, vowing “never” to surrender after the pontiff said Kyiv should “have the courage to raise the white flag”.

The Catholic leader had fueled anger in Kyiv after saying in an interview published Saturday that Ukraine should negotiate with Russia, which has seized large swathes of its territory during the war. “Our flag is a yellow and blue one. This is the flag by which we live, die, and prevail. We shall never raise any other flags,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on social media.

The statement is in response to a comment from the Pope, said during an interview with Italian-language Swiss broadcaster RSI. The interview was recorded February 2, but segments were released March 9 ahead of its full release scheduled for March 20. “When you see that you are defeated, that things are not working out, to have the courage to negotiate.”

Kuleba called on the elderly pontiff to stand “on the side of good” and not put the opposing sides “on the same footing and call it ‘negotiations’.” He also appeared to reference some of the Catholic church collaborating with Nazi forces during World War II:

“At the same time, when it comes to the white flag, we know this Vatican strategy from the first half of the 20th century,” Kuleba said. “I urge to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past and to support Ukraine and its people in their just struggle for their lives.” He also thanked Pope Francis for his “constant prayers for peace” and said Kyiv hoped the cleric would visit Ukraine. — AFP