Pope Francis believes that Russia may have invaded Ukraine because he considers NATO’s efforts to expand to Eastern European countries “a provocation.”
But at the same time, he attacked the “ferocity and cruelty” of the Russian troops and extolled the “heroism and courage” of the Ukrainians in defending their country.
“Someone might say at this point: ‘But you’re pro-Putin!’ No I’m not. It would be simplistic and wrong to say such a thing. I am simply against reducing complexity to the distinction between good and evil, without thinking about roots and interests, which are very complex. While we see the ferocity, the cruelty of the Russian troops, we must not forget the problems to try to solve them”, the Pope emphasized in a meeting with Jesuit media in the Vatican that has been reviewed this Tuesday by the newspapers. The stamp Y Avvnire.
There are no “good guys and bad guys” in this, he stressed.
On the other hand, Pope Francis confirmed that he hopes to meet Russian Patriarch Kirill, who has justified the war and supported Putin, when the two attend an interfaith meeting in Kazakhstan in mid-September.
A meeting planned for June was canceled by both sides, Francis said, “so that our dialogue is not misunderstood.” In Kazakhstan, he added, “I hope to be able to greet him and talk a little with him as a pastor.”
At the same time, Francis continued to praise the courage of the Ukrainians and reaffirmed their right to defend themselves while criticizing what he said were the financial interests in the war of arms manufacturers to “test and sell weapons.”
“It is true that the Russians thought it would be over in a week. But they miscalculated,” she said. “They found a brave people, a people that is fighting to survive and that has a history of fighting.”
