Pope Francis’s unhelpful Ukraine comments

Pope Francis has made a statement on the Ukraine war that has sparked fury among many of Kyiv’s supporters. Asked by a Swiss television interviewer whether the Ukraine should ‘raise the white flag’ Francis replied, ‘When you see that you are defeated, that things are not going well, you have to have the courage to negotiate,’ adding that he believed that ‘the stronger one is the one who… thinks of the people, who has the courage of the white flag.’ 

After a storm of criticism, the Vatican press service put out a clarification. ‘Pope Francis is not asking Ukraine to surrender but rather calling for a ceasefire and the courage of negotiation,’ insisted Vatican spokesman office Matteo Bruni, reminding people that Francis had recently spoken of his ‘deep affection for the martyred Ukrainian people’ and called for a ‘diplomatic solution in search of a just and lasting peace.