According to Vatican Secretary of State Pieter Parolin, Francis believes that “negotiations are strength, not weakness.”
The first condition for starting negotiations to end the war in Ukraine is the end of Russia’s aggressive actions. This was stated by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who is second in line after the Pope, according to Corriere della Sera.
In his comments on Pope Francis’ disgusting statement that Ukraine should “raise the white flag” and begin negotiations with Russia to end the two-year conflict, Cardinal Parolin said the pope’s main idea is that the search for a sustainable and just peace is suitable for a diplomatic solution to the war conditions.
“It is clear that the creation of such conditions in this sense depends not only on one of the parties, but on both, and the first condition seems to me to be the cessation of aggression,” he added.
Parolin emphasized that the Vatican continues to insist on the necessity of a “ceasefire”, especially emphasizing the end of Russia’s aggression and the corresponding initiation of negotiations.
The Vatican secretary of state also emphasized that Francis’ views include his belief that “negotiation is not a sign of weakness but a show of strength, not a sign of surrender but a show of courage.”
“The war against Ukraine is the result of human freedom alone, not of an uncontrollable natural disaster, and the same human will that caused this tragedy also has the opportunity and responsibility to take steps to end it and pave the way for a diplomatic solution.” – said.
Let us recall that on March 9, the text version of Pope Francis’ February speech, in which he called on Ukraine to negotiate with Russia, was published on the Internet.
Later, Vatican press service director Matteo Bruni emphasized that the Pope was calling for a ceasefire and negotiations, not for Ukraine’s surrender. According to him, the leader of the Catholic Church used the term “white flag” suggested by the interviewer to mean “a ceasefire achieved thanks to the courage to start negotiations.”
Source: Focus
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