Pope in a new prayer called Ukrainians and Russians "cousin" (screenshot)

Turning to the bishops, clergy and believers who gathered in the Corsica, Pope Francis repeated his call for peace for all countries suffering from war and conflict. "Peace for Palestine, for Israel, for Lebanon, for Syria, for the Middle East! Peace for the exhausted Myanmar," he said. During the prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary about the "long -awaited peace for the Ukrainian people and the Russian people", the pontiff said: "They are brothers, cousins.

Let them come to mutual understanding! War is always a defeat. The Vatican site. There were no official statements in Ukraine about the words of the Pope. Andriy Yurash, the Ambassador of Ukraine to the Vatican. On December 13, the Blessed Metropolitan of Kyiv and all Ukraine, Epiphany, met with Pope Francis.

The PSCU Primate congratulated the Pontiff for the Humanitarian Initiatives of the Holy See, aimed at helping the victims of Russian aggression against Ukraine, Ukrainian refugees and forced displaced persons. Pope Francis has repeatedly expressed the war in Ukraine from the very beginning of a full -scale invasion of Russia. In particular, he called for peace, the exchange of prisoners, dialogue and the cessation of violence.

His words are criticized in Ukraine due to the lack of a clear distinction between Russia as an aggressor country and Ukraine as the state they attacked. For example, on July 30, 2023, the Pontiff in his address to the believers called them "brothers" when he urged Russia not to prevent Ukraine from exporting grain from their seaports. On March 9, Pope Francis said that Ukraine should find the courage to throw away the "White Flag" in front of Russia.

He believed that the losing party should admit it and agree to peace talks. Subsequently, the Vatican explained that the pontiff called for ceasefire and negotiations, not for the surrender of Ukraine. We will remind, on November 20 on World Child Day, Elena Zelenskaya met with Pope Francis. During his personal audience in the Vatican, the first lady told Pontiff that Russia was killed and torturing peaceful Ukrainians daily. On June 14, Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a meeting with the Pope.