The Vatican is issuing an explanation after outrage over Pope Francis’ remarks that Ukraine should have the “courage of a white flag” and agree to end the war caused by the Russian invasion. The first condition of any negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine is an end to Russia’s aggression, Pope Francis’ deputy said on Tuesday, as quoted by Reuters.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, told the Corriere della Sera newspaper on Tuesday that the Vatican was pushing for a cease-fire and that “first of all, the aggressors must cease fire.”

“It is obvious that both sides should sit down at the negotiating table”

Trying to defuse the situation and clarify the statements of Pope Francis, the Vatican Secretary of State said that the Sovereign Pontiff wants to “create the conditions for a diplomatic solution, in search of a just and lasting peace.” For this, it is “obvious” that both sides should sit down at the negotiating table, and the first condition should be “the cessation of aggression,” Cardinal Pietro Parolin said.

Emphasizing that the Vatican considers Russia an aggressor, Parolin noted that “the war unleashed against Ukraine was not the result of a natural disaster,” but a human choice. “The same human will that caused this tragedy also has the opportunity and responsibility to take action to end it and pave the way for a diplomatic solution,” Pope Francis’ second in command added to Corriere della Sera, according to Reuters.

Pope Francis: “Ukraine must have the courage of the white flag of negotiations.”

In an interview with the Swiss station RSI, which was taken some time ago and published on Saturday, Pope Francis was asked what his position was on the debate between those who say that Ukraine should surrender because it has not been able to push back Russian troops, and those who say it legitimizes the actions of the stronger party. The Pope’s interviewer used the term “white flag” in the question.

“It’s an interpretation, it’s the truth,” Francis said, according to a preliminary transcript of the interview and partial video footage provided to Reuters on Saturday. The interview is scheduled for March 20 as part of the new cultural program. “But I believe that the strongest is the one who looks at the situation, thinks about the people and has the courage of the white flag and negotiates,” Pope Francis continued, adding that negotiations should take place with the help of international forces. “The word negotiation is a bold word. When you see that you are being defeated, that things are not going well, you must have the courage to negotiate,” Pope Francis said.

Apparently, in the discussion about the war in Ukraine, Pope Francis used such terms as “white flag” or “defeated” for the first time, although he had previously spoken about the need for negotiations.

Kiev’s answer to the Pope: “Ukraine will never raise a white flag.” Our flag is yellow-blue”

On Sunday, Ukraine responded sharply to Pope Francis, promising that it would “never” surrender to Russia, in response to the sovereign pontiff’s call to have “the courage to raise the white flag” and negotiate, reports AFP.

• “Our flag is yellow and blue. This is the flag for which we live, die and triumph. We will never raise another flag,” replied the head of Ukrainian diplomacy, Dmytro Kuleba, in a message on X (formerly Twitter).
• “As for the white flag, we know the strategy of the Vatican in the first half of the 20th century. I invite you to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past and support Ukraine and its people in the struggle for life,” he added, clearly referring to the period of the Second World War and the relations of the Roman Church with Nazi Germany.

Finally, the head of diplomacy from Kyiv expressed hope that the Sovereign Pontiff “will find an opportunity to make a canonical visit to Ukraine.”

• One of the most active supporters of Ukraine criticizes Pope Francis’ statements about the “white flag” of negotiations with Moscow

Categorical reaction of the head of NATO

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday that he does not agree with Pope Francis’ statements that Ukraine should have the “courage of a white flag” and negotiate an end to the war provoked by Russia’s invasion, Reuters writes.

Secretary General of the Western military alliance Jens Stoltenberg, who was present at the ceremony of raising the Swedish flag at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on Monday, insisted on the need to continue supporting Ukraine.

Asked about the Pope’s words, the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization told Reuters:

• “If we want a peaceful and lasting solution through negotiations, the way to do that is to provide military support to Ukraine.”

In an interview at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Stoltenberg said that “what happens at the negotiating table is closely related to strength on the battlefield.”

When asked if his reaction means that now is not the time to talk about the white flag, Stoltenberg replied: “It is not the time to talk about the surrender of Ukrainians. It will be a tragedy for Ukrainians. It will also be dangerous for all of us. President Putin started this war and can end it today. But there is no such possibility in Ukraine. Surrender does not mean peace.”

“We must continue to strengthen Ukraine to show President Putin that he will not get what he wants on the battlefield and that he must sit down at the negotiating table,” Stoltenberg continued, confirming that Kyiv is “closer than ever” to joining the NATO”.

The Kremlin “understands” the Pope

On Monday, the Kremlin said that Pope Francis’ call for negotiations to end the war in Ukraine is clear. In addition, Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov claims that Russia is ready to sit down at the negotiating table, but it is Kyiv that refuses to negotiate because of its mistaken belief that the West can defeat Russia.

• “It is quite easy to understand that he (Pope of Rome) spoke in favor of negotiations,” said Kremlin press secretary Dmytro Peskov, answering journalists’ questions about the words of the sovereign pontiff.

Peskov noted that President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly spoken about Russia’s readiness and openness to negotiations, but it was Ukraine that rejected such proposals.

• “Unfortunately, both the Pope’s statements and the repeated statements of other parties, including ours, have recently been met with absolutely strict rejections,” said Peskov.

Putin’s press secretary also said that the situation on the battlefield testifies to the fallacy of the West’s hopes of inflicting a “strategic defeat” on Russia. “This is the deepest delusion, the biggest mistake, and the course of events, primarily on the battlefield, is the clearest proof of this,” Peskov said.

How realistic is the prospect of negotiations

Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry commented that Pope Francis’ call for negotiations was actually a request to Kiev’s Western allies to abandon their desire to defeat Russia and to admit the West’s mistake in the war in Ukraine. “From my point of view, the Pope is asking the West to reject his ambitions and admit that he was wrong,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, as quoted by the ANSA news agency.

Putin claims that shortly after the troops entered Ukraine, Moscow and Kyiv almost agreed on a ceasefire, but it was broken by Britain.

For its part, Reuters reported last month that the United States rejected a brokered offer to Putin for a ceasefire to freeze the war in Ukraine. As the West ponders how to support Ukraine and the prospect of a sudden shift in U.S. policy if Donald Trump wins the presidential election in November, Putin has essentially offered to freeze the battlefield on his line’s current front.

Zelensky, who in 2022 signed a decree ruling out negotiations with Putin, said last week that Russia would not be invited to the first peace summit to be held in Switzerland.