The Ukrainian government has issued a vehement response, firmly rejecting Pope Francis' suggestion that the country should consider waving the white flag and negotiating an end to the conflict with Russia.
Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, took to social media to assert, "Our flag is a yellow and blue one. This is the flag by which we live, die, and prevail. We shall never raise any other flags."
Across Europe, politicians and commentators expressed indignation following the pontiff's remarks, wherein he seemed to overlook Russia's aggressive actions as the invader and instead implied that Ukraine bore the responsibility for seeking peace.
Kuleba urged Pope Francis to unequivocally support Ukraine and refrain from equating Russia and Ukraine in negotiations. He also hinted at historical collaborations between certain factions of the Catholic church and Nazi forces during World War II, cautioning against repeating past mistakes and emphasizing the importance of backing Ukraine's just struggle for survival.
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