Pope Francis of the Vatican mentioned that Ukraine must possess what he referred to as the "courage of the white flag" and negotiate to end the war initiated by Russia two years ago, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives thus far. The Pope made this statement during an interview recorded last month with the Swiss network "RSI," well before the proposal made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan yesterday to host a summit between Ukraine and Russia to end the war. Erdoğan made the new offer following a meeting in Istanbul with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky stated that he desires peace but will not relinquish any Ukrainian territory. The peace plan proposed by the Ukrainian leader calls for the withdrawal of Russian forces from across Ukraine and the restoration of state borders, while the Kremlin has rejected entering peace talks under the conditions set by Kyiv.
In the interview, Pope Francis was asked about his stance on the ongoing debate between those who argue that Ukraine should surrender because it cannot counter Russian forces and those who contend that surrender would legitimize the actions of the stronger party. The interviewer used the term "white flag" in the question. Pope Francis stated, according to a transcript of the interview released in advance and a video clip obtained by Reuters on Saturday, "I believe the stronger one is the one who looks at the situation, thinks of the people, and shows the courage of the white flag and negotiates," adding that talks should occur with the assistance of international powers. The interview is set to air on March 20 as part of a new cultural program. In another part of the interview addressing the war between Israel and Hamas, the Pope remarked, "Negotiation is never surrender."
