The Kremlin responded on Monday to Pope Francis’s call for negotiations to end the Ukraine conflict, stating that while Russia is prepared to engage in talks, Kyiv has dismissed such discussions due to its belief that the West could defeat Russia.
Pope Francis has urged Ukraine to show the courage to seek a peaceful resolution, likening it to waving the “white flag” in pursuit of peace amid a conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, acknowledged the Pope’s support for negotiations, noting President Vladimir Putin’s consistent willingness to engage in talks. However, Peskov lamented that Ukraine has consistently rebuffed such proposals.
Peskov emphasized that the battlefield reality contradicts Western hopes of strategically defeating Russia. He referred to such hopes as a profound misconception, citing the ongoing conflict as evidence of this.
Despite Pope Francis’s plea for dialogue, Ukraine has rebuffed the call, with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy dismissing it as “virtual mediation” and affirming Kyiv’s refusal to capitulate.
In response to Putin’s suggestion of a ceasefire shortly after Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine, it was reportedly rejected by the United States, indicating ongoing challenges in diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry interpreted Pope Francis’s call for talks as an appeal to Kyiv’s Western allies to acknowledge their mistaken approach in the Ukraine war and to reconsider their ambitions to defeat Russia.
In light of these developments, Zelenskiy has reiterated his stance against talks with Putin, emphasizing that Russia will not be invited to the upcoming peace summit in Switzerland.
