Alwaght- Ukraine's Foreign Ministry summoned Vatican envoy to Ukraine Visvaldas Kulbokas on March 11 over Pope Francis' recent call for Kiev to "not be ashamed to negotiate" with Moscow.
In an interview with Swiss broadcaster RSI that was partially released on March 9, Pope Francis said that Ukraine should have the "courage" to negotiate peace with Russia and raise the "white flag."
The remarks drew the ire of Kiev government.
President Volodymyr Zelensky responded in his nightly address on March 10 without mentioning the Pope directly, instead praising the bravery of Ukraine's military chaplains.
"They support us with prayer, with their discussion and with deeds," he said. "This is indeed what a church with the people is.
"Not 2,500km away, somewhere, virtual mediation between someone who wants to live and someone who wants to destroy you."
The Vatican released a statement to ease the tension.
"Visvaldas Kulbokas was informed that Ukraine is disappointed by the Pontiff's words," Vatican foreign ministry said in a statement.
foreign ministry said that Ukraine is a country that "like no other, strives for peace," but peace "must be fair and based on the principles of the UN Charter."
Andrii Yurash, the ambassador of Ukraine to the Vatican, told Radio Svoboda on March 11 that the comments reflected Pope Francis' personal views and "do not reflect the position" of the Vatican.
