Pope Francis has said in an interview that Ukraine, facing a possible defeat, should have the courage to negotiate an end to the war with Russia.
The head of the Catholic Church added that the European nation should not be ashamed to sit at the same table with its Russian adversaries to carry out peace talks.
The Pope made his appeal during an interview recorded last month with Swiss broadcaster RSI, which was partially released on Saturday.
“I think that the strongest one is the one who looks at the situation, thinks about the people, has the courage of the white flag, and negotiates,” he said, adding that talks should be held with the help of international powers.
Ukraine remains firm on not engaging directly with Russia on peace talks, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said multiple times the initiative in peace negotiations must belong to the country which has been invaded.
Russia is gaining momentum on the battlefield in the war now in its third year, and Ukraine is running low on ammunition.
Meanwhile, some of Ukraine’s allies in the West are delicately raising the prospect of sending troops.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said on Saturday that the Pope had adopted the interviewer’s use of the “white flag” term.
He stated clarification after the Pope’s “white flag” comments sparked criticism that he was siding with Russia in the conflict.
Throughout the war, Pope Francis has tried to maintain the Vatican’s traditional diplomatic neutrality, but that has often been accompanied by apparent sympathy with the Russian rationale for invading Ukraine, such as when he noted that Nato was “barking at Russia’s door” with its eastward expansion.
During the RSI interview, the Pope said: “The word negotiate is a courageous word.
“When you see that you are defeated, that things are not going well, you have to have the courage to negotiate.
“Negotiations are never a surrender.”
The Pope also reminded people that some countries have offered to mediate the conflict.
“Today, for example, in the war in Ukraine, many want to mediate,” he said.
“Turkey has offered itself for this and others. Do not be ashamed to negotiate before things get worse.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan—whose Nato-member country has sought to balance its close relations with Ukraine and Russia—offered to host a peace summit between the two countries during a Friday visit from Mr Zelensky.