Russia, NATO at odds over pope's call for Ukraine to show 'white flag'
Kremlin expresses understanding of Pope's call for Ukraine negotiation.
- Bilawal Riaz
- 1 min read
The Kremlin has expressed understanding towards Pope Francis’s call for negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, while NATO has stated that it is not the time to discuss surrender. Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated openness to peace talks, although Moscow’s negotiation offers typically demand that Kyiv cede territory Russia has seized. NATO believes that a peaceful solution preserving Ukraine’s sovereignty will only occur once Putin recognizes he cannot win on the battlefield, emphasizing the importance of providing military support to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed the Pope’s mediation suggestion as virtual and emphasized the support Ukraine receives from religious figures within the country.