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Ukraine on Sunday criticized Pope Francis’ call for talks with Russia two years into the country’s invasion and vowed to ‘never’ surrender, after the pontiff said Kyiv should ‘have the courage to raise the white flag’.
‘Our flag is a yellow and blue. This is the flag by which we live, die and conquer. We will never raise other flags,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on social media.
The Catholic leader had fueled anger in Kiev after saying in an interview published on Saturday that Ukraine should negotiate with Russia, which has captured large swathes of its territory during the war.
‘Our flag is a yellow and blue. This is the flag by which we live, die and conquer. We will never raise other flags,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on social media.
As Ukraine battles its larger neighbor, it has vowed not to give up its territory.
As Ukraine battles its larger neighbor, it has vowed not to give up its territory
The Catholic leader had fueled anger in Kiev after saying in an interview published on Saturday that Ukraine should negotiate with Russia
Vladimir Putin has taken large parts of the country from Ukraine
The Pope fed anger by saying: ‘When you see that you are defeated, that things are not working, to have the courage to negotiate.’
Kuleba urged the elderly pope to stand ‘on the side of good’ and not put the opposing sides ‘on the same footing and call it ‘negotiations’.’
He also appeared to refer to some of the Catholic Church collaborating with Nazi forces during World War II:
“At the same time, when it comes to the white flag, we know this Vatican strategy from the first half of the 20th century,” Kuleba said.
‘I urge you to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past and support Ukraine and its people in their just fight for their lives.’
He also thanked Pope Francis for his ‘constant prayers for peace’ and said Kyiv hoped the priest would visit Ukraine.
“We continue to hope that after two years of devastating war in the heart of Europe, the Pope will find an opportunity to make an apostolic visit to Ukraine to support over one million Ukrainian Catholics, over five million Greek Catholics and all Ukrainians,” Kuleba said .
More to follow.
