Pope addresses Vatican's role in mediating war in Ukraine

This was reported by RBC-Ukraine with reference to Crux.

During a recent interview, the Pope distinguished between the Vatican's role in advocating for peace and its role in directly mediating conflicts. He stated, “I’d make a distinction in terms of the voice of the Holy See in advocating for peace and a role as mediator, which I think is very different and is not as realistic as the first one.”

According to the Pope, his own voice, along with the voices of Christians and people of goodwill, consistently emphasizes that peace is the only answer. He pointed out that years of senseless killing on both sides in the conflict in Ukraine, as well as in other regions, highlight the urgent need to pursue alternative ways to resolve issues.

The Pope stressed that while the Vatican continues to support appeals for peace, the harsh realities of war make the role of mediator in the specific Ukrainian conflict less feasible at this time. He concluded, “After years of senseless killing on both sides — in this particular conflict and in others — I think people have to wake up and realize that there is another way to do this.”