Pope Francis says he’s prepared to journey to Ukraine, which is underneath assault from Russia, however solely on the situation that he may also journey to Moscow.
“I will go to both places or to neither,” the top of the Catholic Church mentioned in an interview with Saturday’s version of the Argentinian newspaper La Nacion.
The conflict in Ukraine may solely be ended via dialogue and concrete peace initiatives, he mentioned.
The 86-year-old was already contemplating a visit to the 2 nations final summer season. At that point he additionally mentioned he wish to go to each Kiev and Moscow.
The Vatican has lengthy sought to play a mediating function within the battle – on this context, he spoke to La Nacion of the “desire to serve peace.”
In the interview, Francis reported how he had requested Russian leaders whether or not he may journey to Moscow on the second day after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, he mentioned, had declined with thanks on the time.
The pontiff reiterated his dismay on the conflict: “The war hurts me, that’s what I want to say. The war hurts me.”
In his public appearances and audiences, he usually speaks of the struggling of Ukrainians. For diplomatic causes, nonetheless, he doesn’t point out Russia by identify in these.
Source: www.anews.com.tr
