Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy , in a recent video address, firmly rejected Pope Francis 's suggestion for Ukraine to engage in negotiations with Russia , calling it “virtual mediation.”
Mr Zelenskyy said the Pope's call was contrary to reality, and spoke of active support from religious figures within Ukraine.
"They support us with prayer, with their discussion and with deeds," he said.
“Not 2,500km away, somewhere, virtual mediation between someone who wants to live and someone who wants to destroy you.”
The discourse surrounding Pope Francis 's comments and responses from Ukrainian officials and allies reflect the complexities of seeking peace in the middle of an continuing conflict .
While the Vatican expresses a desire for an end to hostilities, the reality in Ukraine and the principles at stake for its people dictate a course of resistance and determination to protect their nation's future, the government says.
The Ukrainian government and its citizens have expressed strong disapproval of Pope Francis's remarks, particularly his suggestion that Ukraine “have the courage to raise the white flag".
This sparked outrage, especially amid reports of civilian casualties due to Russian shelling and missile attacks .
“Our flag is a yellow and blue one," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.
"This is the flag by which we live, die and prevail. We shall never raise any other flags.”
Ukrainian officials have drawn parallels between Pope Francis's comments and the Vatican's controversial stance during the Second World War .
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Andrii Yurash, Ukraine's ambassador to the Vatican, likened the Pope's negotiation suggestion to attempting dialogue with Adolf Hitler.
"[The] lesson is only one – if we want to finish war, we have to do everything to kill [the] Dragon," he said on social media.
International and religious support for Ukraine Ukrainian leaders, along with some western diplomats, say that Russia, as the aggressor, should stop its military actions for peace to be attainable.
"Russia is the aggressor and breaks international law," said German envoy to the Vatican, Bernhard Kotsch. "Therefore Germany asks Moscow to stop the war, not Kyiv!"
Religious leaders across different faiths in Ukraine have united in support of their country.
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Volodymyr assists his wife Anastasia, as she has contractions before the birth of their first baby, at a maternity hospital in Zaporizhzhia, in September 2023. Ukraine’s birth rate since the start of the war the country's birth rate has plummeted by 28 per cent. Getty Images
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Parts of a drone, which Ukrainian authorities said was Iranian-made, after a Russian strike in Kyiv in October 2022. Reuters
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Firefighters at a thermal power plant in Kharkiv damaged by a Russian missile strike in September 2022. Reuters
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and then-British prime minister Boris Johnson read a plaque in Kyiv in August 2022 dedicated to the latter for his support. Getty Images
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Ukrainian servicemen fire an American-made 155mm M777 howitzer in July 2022 in the Kharkiv area. EPA
A bomb crater on the Antonovsky bridge across the Dnipro river in Kherson, July 2022. AFP
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Ukrainian troops on Snake Island in June 2022. Reuters
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The wreckage of a Russian helicopter in a bomb-cratered field in Biskvitne, May 2022. Getty Images
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A Russian serviceman on guard outside Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in May 2022. AFP
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A floral memorial wall in Lviv for Ukrainian civilians killed during the Russian invasion, April 2022. Getty Images
People fleeing Lviv, eastern Ukraine, in April 2022, wait for a bus that will take them to Poland. Getty Images
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A Ukrainian celebrates success in Hostomel in April 2022. Getty Images
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Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Bucha in April 2022, where hundreds of bodies were found in the street and it was claimed the Russian leadership was responsible for killing civilians. AFP
Oleh Smolin, 23, who suffered leg injuries from Russian shelling in April 2022, in hospital in Chuhuiv. Getty Images
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Ukrainians under a destroyed bridge as they try to cross the Irpin river on the outskirts of Kyiv in March 2022. AP
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A demonstration in support of Ukraine in Trafalgar Square, London, February 2022 . Getty Images
Russian army vehicles in Armyansk, Crimea, in February 2022. AFP
Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on February 25, 2022, in a video on Facebook. He said 'we are all here', shortly after the Russian invasion began. AFP
A residential building damaged by a missile strike in Kyiv in February 2022. Getty Images
A metro station in Kyiv in February 2022, crowded with people trying to escape the invasion. AFP
A police officer addresses people gathered to protest against the invasion of Ukraine, in central Saint Petersburg, Russia, February 2022. AFP
A protester in support of Ukraine, in Berlin, Germany, in February 2022. Getty Images
Ukrainian soldiers prepare to repel an attack in Ukraine's Lugansk region on February 24, 2022. AFP
Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on February 24, 2022, after Russia launched a full-scale invasion. AFP
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CCTV footage shows Russian military equipment crossing a Crimea border checkpoint on February 24, 2022. AFP
Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin early on February 24, 2022, when he announced a 'military operation' in Ukraine. AFP
The conflict continues to exact a heavy toll, with recent reports of civilian casualties and infrastructure damage in various regions due to Russian shelling and missile strikes.
Ukraine's leadership has consistently pushed for a peace plan that entails the withdrawal of Russian forces and the restoration of Ukraine's borders.
While diplomatic activities have increased, including visits by international envoys and discussions on mediation roles for countries such as Turkey, Kyiv maintains that any negotiation must give priority to Ukraine's interests and territorial integrity.
Updated: March 10, 2024, 10:11 PM