President of Ukraine, Vladimir Zelenskyresponded to statements by Pope Francis, who on Sunday morning said that in the war in Ukraine we must have “the courage of the white flag and negotiate” when we see ourselves losing and before the situation gets worse.

“If Russian murderers and torturers do not move towards Europe, then this will“only because they stop Ukrainians with weapons in their hands under a blue and yellow flag,” Zelensky stated this in his address to the nation on Sunday evening.

The head of the Ukrainian state added that “in Ukraine there were many white walls of houses and churches, which are now burned and destroyed by Russian shells.”

“And this speaks very eloquently about “Who has to stop for the war to end?” Zelensky noted.

The Pope’s statements caused outrage in Ukraine, where The pontiff has been criticized by civil society and the Catholic hierarchy. this predominantly Orthodox country.

In an interview with Swiss radio and television, the Pope assured that in the war in Ukraine there must be “the courage of the white flag” and “to negotiate” is a “brave word”.to bring about an end to the conflict.

“I think that the one who sees the situation, who thinks about people, is stronger. who has the courage under the white flag to negotiate. And today this can be agreed upon with the help of international powers. The word “negotiation” is a bold word,” the pontiff said, repeating the “white flag” expression the interviewer had previously used.

“When you see that you are defeated, that things are not going well, “You have to have the courage to negotiate.”– added the pontiff.

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The full version of the interview will be broadcast on the channel next one is March 20th.

“Don’t be ashamed to negotiate, before the situation gets worse” said Francis, who has repeatedly called for peace in “martyrned Ukraine” and who sent his envoy on the conflict, Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, to meet with authorities in Kyiv, Moscow and Washington.

After the interview was published, the Holy See clarified that The Pope is not talking about capitulation, but about negotiations. This was stated by Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni, who was quoted by Italian media.

“The Pope uses the term “white flag” and responds by taking the image suggested by the interviewer to signify the cessation of hostilities, a truce achieved through the courage of negotiations. Elsewhere in the interview, speaking of a different conflict situation but referring to any military situation, the Pope clearly states: “Negotiation is never giving up,” he said.

According to Bruni, “the Pope’s wish remains the same, which he has always repeated in recent years (…): “As I renew my deepest affection for the tormented Ukrainian people and pray for everyone, especially for the countless innocent victims, I beg that Let us let’s find that piece of humanity that will allow us create conditions for a diplomatic solution in search of a just and lasting peace.

However, the Ukrainian Embassy to the Holy See responded to the Pope that during the Second World War no one spoke of “peace negotiations with Hitler.”

“It is very important to be consistent! When we talk about the Third World War, which we have now, we must learn lessons from the Second World War,” the diplomatic missions wrote on their social networks.

Did anyone then seriously talk about peace negotiations with Hitler and a white flag to satisfy him? So, there is only one lesson: “If we want to end the war, we must do everything we can to kill the Dragon!”– he concluded.

(according to information from EFE)