(Vatican City) Pope Francis called for “the courage to raise the white flag and negotiate” to end the war in Ukraine “before things get worse,” in a television interview broadcast in Switzerland on Saturday.
“I think the strongest are those who see the situation, think about the people and have the courage to raise the white flag and negotiate,” he said in an interview with public television RTS in early February, when asked about a debate in Ukraine. On the way forward.
“Negotiation is a courageous word,” he added, in a clear reference to Kiev: “When you see that you are defeated and things are not going well, have the courage to negotiate.”
The head of the Catholic Church noted that there are “many” actors “ready to play the role of mediators,” “for example Turkey.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that he is ready to host a Russian-Ukrainian peace summit if necessary by receiving his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul.
In the first weeks of the war, Turkey hosted peace talks between Moscow and Kiev, but they failed.
It hopes to be able to relaunch it, more than two years after the start of the Russian invasion at a time when the Kremlin maintains a numerical superiority over its opponents and when support from Kiev's Western allies is running out.
The Pope stressed: “Do not be ashamed to negotiate before things get worse.”
When asked about the war between Israel and Hamas, he placed responsibility on both sides.
“War is fought by two, not one. It is the irresponsible people who wage war.”
