German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock sharply criticized Pope Francis’ call for Ukraine to negotiate with Moscow, saying she “doesn’t understand” his position, AFP and Agerpres reported on Monday.

Late last week, the Pope drew the ire of Ukrainian officials after saying in an interview with Swiss television that Ukraine “must have the courage to raise the white flag and negotiate” two years after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“I don’t understand” the call, Burbock said on public broadcaster ARD on Sunday evening. “I believe that some things can be understood only if you see them with your own eyes,” added the German minister, who has traveled to Kyiv several times since the beginning of the war.

During a conversation with war-affected Ukrainian children, Burbok said he asked himself: “Where is the Pope? The Pope should know about these things.”

Annalena Burbok said that if Ukraine and its allies “do not show strength now, there will be no peace.”

“We must stand by Ukraine and do everything in our power to ensure that it can defend itself,” added the head of German diplomacy. Germany is the second donor of military aid to Ukraine after the USA.

Kyiv rejected the sovereign pontiff’s new comments

Ukraine immediately responded to Pope Francis, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba declared that his country “will never surrender.”

Ukrainians of all faiths stood up to defend their country after the start of the Russian invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said in his turn on Sunday in his daily video address.

“Christians, Muslims, Jews, everyone… They support us with prayer, conversation and actions,” Zelenskyi said.

“The church should be together with people. And not 2,500 kilometers away, with virtual mediation between those who want to live and those who want to destroy us,” the Ukrainian president added.

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