Pope Francis, as a determined pacifist, repeatedly called for the Russian invasion of Ukraine to be interrupted. However, as the paper Le Monde emphasizes, his statements and actions in this area were frequently ambiguous and shocking with comments on the war. During the 3 years of the conflict, the pope showed misconception and made mistakes in his assessments, which was the consequence of his hot pacifism and deficiency of knowing for the situation in Ukraine.
One of the most crucial moments that sparked a wave of criticism was the Pope's visit to the Russian embassy on February 25, 2022, the day after Russia's invasion of Ukraine began. It was a step that was taken as indiscriminate and insensitive, especially in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war. As “Le Monde notes,” this visit was the first of a series of mistakes and mistakes in the assessments made by the Pope on the Russian-Ukrainian issue.
Pope Francis, in interviews for the media, repeatedly expressed his desire to resolve the conflict through dialogue. However, as French political scientist Francois Mabille emphasizes, the pope was a prisoner of certain assumptions that were anti-American and pacifist. Francis ruled out all war, even fair, which distinguished him from his predecessors, specified as John Paul II, who considered armed defence legal.
Pope Francis condemned the possession of atomic weapons itself, as well as atomic deterrence which he considered morally unacceptable. As Mabille notes, this obsession with dialog led the pope to misjudge not only the situation, but besides people, including Vladimir Putin and Cyril's patriarch. The Pope did not realize well how and what Putin was reacting to, which was the consequence of his deficiency of knowing for the situation in Ukraine.
Despite the difficulty of mediating for peace, Pope Francis did not quit his old age. In 2023, thanks to the Vatican Mediation, 388 children abducted by Russia in occupied territories returned to Ukraine. It was a crucial success that showed that the Vatican could play an crucial function in resolving conflicts.
It is worth noting that Pope Francis did not go to Russia or Ukraine, but he spoke to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenski twice. These were crucial meetings that showed that the Pope was active in resolving the conflict in Ukraine.
In conclusion, Pope Francis and the war in Ukraine is simply a complex and delicate subject. The Pope, as a determined pacifist, calls for the invasion to be stopped, but his statements and actions are frequently inconspicuous and insensitive. Despite the difficulties, the Pope has not given up his old age and is inactive active in resolving the conflict.
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Pope Francis and the war in Ukraine: between pacifism and non-tactics
