Pope Francis assured this Monday that he is ready to mediate peace between Ukraine and Russia and revealed that he is already working on the prisoner exchange.
“The position of the Holy See is to seek peace and understanding between the parties,” Francis said in an interview with the US Jesuit newspaper, adding that the Vatican’s diplomacy is “evolving in that direction and is, of course, always ready to mediate.” . .
Francis also said that he had made a decision about a trip to the centers of the conflict: “when I travel, I go to Moscow and Kiev, to both, not just one place”he claimed.
The pope also confirmed that he is trying to mediate the prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia.
“I generally work with the receipt of lists of prisoners, both civilian and military, and I have prepared them with the Russian government”said in the interview.
Moscow, he assured, has responded “very positively” to the lists it has presented of Ukrainian citizens and soldiers who could be released.
“Why don’t I nominate Putin? Because it is not necessary,” Pope Francis said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russia launched a military offensive in Ukraine on February 24, which is still ongoing and was condemned by the international community, which, in particular, the EU and the United States responded with military, humanitarian and economic aid to Kiev and the imposition of sanctions brought unprecedented economic and political benefits to Moscow.
Source: DN
