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Pope Francis has called for negotiations in Russia’s war against Ukraine. “When you see that you are defeated, that things are not going well, you have to have the courage to negotiate,” said the head of the Catholic Church in an interview on Swiss television published in advance at the weekend. Without directly naming either side of the conflict, Russia or Ukraine, he added: “Don’t be ashamed to negotiate before things get worse.” Elsewhere in the interview, he said: “Negotiations are never a surrender.”

The pontiff referred to Mediation offers different sides, for example Turkey. The Vatican itself has also been trying to mediate between Moscow and Kiev since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression on the neighboring country in February 2022 – so far without success.

Pope spokesman Matteo Bruni contradicted reports that the Pope had called on Ukraine to surrender in the interview. According to the public broadcaster RSI, the conversation took place at the beginning of February.

In it, Francis also responds to demands from Ukraine “Courage to surrender, to raise the white flag” asked what others saw as legitimacy for the stronger side. To this the Pope answers in general terms: “It is a question of perspective. But I think that the stronger is the one who recognizes the situation, who thinks about the people, who has the courage of the white flag to negotiate.”