Pope Francis has said that war in Ukraine would be “madness” and voiced hope that tensions between that country and Russia can be overcome through multi-lateral dialogue.
Speaking at his Wednesday general audience, Francis thanked those who took part in his January 26 international day of prayer for peace in Ukraine.
“Let us continue to beg the God of peace so that the tensions and threats of war can be overcome through a serious dialogue and that the Normandy Format talks can contribute to this aim,” he said, referring to negotiations involving Russia and Ukraine, facilitated by Germany and France.
“And let’s not forget. War is madness,” he said.
Russia is estimated to have massed more than 100,000 troops near its border with Ukraine but has denied Western accusations that it may be planning an attack on its neighbour.
On Tuesday, the leader of Ukraine’s Eastern-rite Catholics said he had invited Francis to visit, calling it a huge gesture that would help bring peace.
Speaking to reporters in a video conference from Kyiv, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk said there was no need to wait for conditions to be ideal and the visit could take place even in the current circumstances.
In the meantime French President Emmanuel Macron has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him in their marathon talks on Monday that Moscow would not further escalate the Ukraine crisis.
Macron’s remarks on a visit to Kyiv on Tuesday came as the Kremlin denied that he and Putin struck a deal on de-escalating the crisis. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “in the current situation, Moscow and Paris can’t be reaching any deals”.
Macron met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid mounting fears of a Russian invasion. Moscow has massed tens of thousands of troops and military hardware near the border with Ukraine, but insists it has no plans to attack its neighbour.
Macron’s remarks come during visit to Kyiv as Kremlin denies any de-escalation deal with France over Ukraine crisis.
Macron met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid mounting fears of a Russian invasion. Moscow has massed tens of thousands of troops and military hardware near the border with Ukraine, but insists it has no plans to attack its neighbour.
The Kremlin wants guarantees from Western powers that NATO will not accept Ukraine and other former Soviet nations as members, and that the organisation will halt weapon deployments and roll back its forces from eastern Europe — demands the US and NATO reject as nonstarters.
Macron said he believed steps can be taken to de-escalate the crisis and called on all sides to stay calm. Both Putin and Zelenskyy had told him they were committed to the principles of a 2014 peace agreement, he said, adding that this deal, known as the Minsk accords, offered a path to resolving their continuing disputes.
“This shared determination is the only way allowing us to create peace, the only way to create a viable political solution,” Macron told a joint news conference with Zelenskyy.
“Calm … is essential from all parties in words and in deeds,” Macron said, praising Zelenskyy for “the sangfroid that you are showing, and which the Ukrainian people are showing, in the face of military pressure on your borders and on your country”. / Argumentum.al
