Pope Francis says: ‘Negotiation is never surrender’ (Document)
Rome:
Pope Francis said in an interview that Ukraine should have what he called “white flag” courage and negotiate an end to the war with Russia. The war followed a full-scale invasion by Moscow two years ago that left tens of thousands dead.
Francis made the comments in an interview with Swiss broadcaster RSI last month, as Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan offered on Friday to host a summit between Ukraine and Russia to end the war.
Erdogan made the new proposal after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul. Zelensky said that while he wanted peace, he would not give up any territory.
The Ukrainian leader’s own peace plan calls for the withdrawal of Russian troops from all of Ukraine and the restoration of its national borders. The Kremlin has ruled out peace talks on terms set by Kiev.
Zelensky’s spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the pope’s remarks.
During the interview, Francis was asked about his stance on a debate in which some argued Ukraine should give up because it could not repel Russian troops, while others argued that doing so would undermine the strongest party’s Legalize the action. The interviewer used the term “white flag” in the question.
“This is an explanation, this is a fact,” Francis said, according to a preview of the interview and part of the video provided to Reuters on Saturday. The program will be broadcast on March 20 as part of the New Culture program.
“But I think the strongest people are those who look at the situation, think about the people, have the courage of a white flag and negotiate,” Francis said, adding that negotiations should take place with the help of international powers.
“The word negotiation is a brave word. When you see yourself being defeated and things are not going well, you have to have the courage to negotiate,” Francis said.
It is believed to be the first time Francis has used the words “white flag” or “defeat” when discussing the war in Ukraine, although he has spoken of the need for negotiations in the past.
Last year, the 87-year-old pope sent his peace envoy, Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, to Kiev, Moscow and Washington to test their leaders.
“People may feel ashamed, but how many lives will (the war) ultimately cost? (People should) negotiate promptly and find a country that can act as a mediator,” Francis said of the negotiations, referring to Turkey’s of the countries that made the recommendations.
“Don’t be ashamed to negotiate before things get worse,” said Francis, who has made hundreds of appeals for what he calls “suffering Ukraine.” Asked if he would mediate, Francis said “I’m here.”
In another part of the interview, referring to the war between Israel and Hamas, Francis said: “Negotiations are never surrender.”
Zelensky said last month that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, and tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in occupied areas of the country.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
