Sikorski played a big role again, this time covered by the fact that the Holy Father is encouraging Kiev to start peace negotiations.
On Sunday, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski criticized Pope Francis' proposal on Ukrainian-Russian peace talks. "What if, as compensation, we encouraged Putin to have the courage to withdraw his army from Ukraine? Then there would be immediate peace without the need for negotiations," wrote Sikorski on X.
. @sikorskiradek : "A może, dla równowagi, zachęcić Putina, by ały odwagę wycofać svowa armię z Ukrainy?
Pokój nastůmby natychmiast, bez negostične negocjacji”. 🎯 W samo sedno. https://t.co/a0tVi2Tgw6— Aneta ObserverXY (@ObserwatorXY) March 10, 2024
Last month, Pope Francis gave an interview to the Swiss television station RSI, the transcript and partial video recording of which was sent to the Reuters news agency on Saturday.
The stronger is the one who thinks about the people, who has the courage to stand for the white flag
When you see that you have been defeated, that things are not going well, you need courage to negotiate," said the head of the Catholic Church, adding that without the latter, the situation could become even more serious, so there is nothing to be ashamed of.
"However, I think that the stronger one sees the situation, thinks of the people, has the courage of the white flag and negotiates," said the Pope, who believes that the negotiations should be conducted with the help of the great powers.
This was the first time that the Pope used the terms "white flag" and "defeat" in connection with the war in Ukraine, although he has also stressed the need for negotiations in the past.
After the Pope's words were made public, Holy See spokesman Matteo Bruni underlined: the head of the church did not speak of surrender, but of negotiation, and he used the "white flag" symbolically.
Cover photo: Pope Francis at the Mass presented in St. Peter's Basilica
Source: Facebook/Vatican News
