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Ukraine on Sunday rejected Pope Francis’ call to negotiate with Russia two years after the invasion and vowed “never” to surrender, after the pope said Kiev “must have the courage to raise the white flag” hoist’.
‘Our flag is yellow and blue. This is the flag under which we live, die and rule. We will never raise any other flags,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on social media.
The Catholic leader had sparked anger in Kiev after saying in an interview published on Saturday that Ukraine should negotiate with Russia, which has seized large parts of its territory during the war.
‘Our flag is yellow and blue. This is the flag under which we live, die and rule. We will never raise any other flags,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on social media.
In the fight against its larger neighbor, Ukraine has pledged not to give up its territory.
In the fight against its larger neighbor, Ukraine has pledged not to give up its territory
The Catholic leader had sparked anger in Kiev after saying in an interview published on Saturday that Ukraine should negotiate with Russia
Vladimir Putin has taken large swathes of land from Ukraine
The Pope stoked the anger by saying: “When you see that you are defeated, that things are not working, you must have the courage to negotiate.”
Kuleba called on the elder pontiff to be “on the side of good” and not put opposing sides “on the same footing and call it ‘negotiations.’
He also seemed to be referring to a section of the Catholic Church that collaborated 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 to support Ukraine and its people in their just struggle for their lives.”
He also thanked Pope Francis for his “continued prayers for peace” and said Kiev hoped the cleric would visit Ukraine.
“We continue to hope that, after two years of devastating war in the heart of Europe, the Pope will find the opportunity to make an apostolic visit to Ukraine to welcome more than one million Ukrainian Catholics, more than five million Greek Catholics and all to support Ukrainians,” Kuleba said.
More to follow.
