(PatriotSpotlight.org) – The Ukrainian government has fiercely rebuked Pope Francis’s apparent call for Kyiv to negotiate with Russia, stating that they will “never raise any other flags” besides their national one. President Volodymyr Zelensky slammed the Pope’s remarks as “virtual mediation,” stressing the higher importance of support on the ground in his country’s attempt to fight invading Russian forces. Ukraine’s ambassador to the Vatican even drew parallels between the Pope’s remarks and pre-World War Two appeasement to Nazi Germany.
This latest controversy erupted after Swiss broadcaster RSI undertook an interview with the Pope, set to air in full on March 20th. During the segment, the Pope was asked to comment on the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, and responded with a claim that “the strongest one” is the party that “thinks about the people… has the courage of the white flag, and negotiates”. While there has been speculation that the Pope was implying Ukraine ought to surrender, a Vatican spokesman has clarified that the head of the Catholic Church was referring to negotiation as a means to halt the fighting.
The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church publicly expressed his dismay over the matter, and in his daily address, President Zelensky praised the efforts of clergy providing spiritual support on the frontline. Furthermore, the war-torn nation’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba took to social media to reaffirm Ukraine’s commitment to its independence, writing that their only flag “is a yellow and blue one,” adding that this is the banner by which Ukrainians “live, die, and prevail.”
The Pope’s controversial comments come as Ukraine currently faces delays in funding and military support, with a U.S. bill which would allocate $60 billion in aid being stalled by Congress, meanwhile, European Union nations continue to debate over a consensus on backing Kyiv. Ukrainian forces also are increasingly finding themselves on the defensive against Russian movements. Russian troops recently captured the strategic town of Avdiivka and are achieving economic growth despite western sanctions.
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