Pope Francis and Kaja Kallas: An appeal for peace in Ukraine

Pope Francis and Kaja Kallas: An appeal for peace in Ukraine

On Monday, February 10, 2025, Pope Francis received the EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas in the Vatican. In her account on the short message service Bluesky, Kallas called the meeting an "honor" and reported that they discussed with the Pope Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine and the urgent need for a just and lasting peace. Kallas thanked the pope for his strong leadership in protecting the most vulnerable and defending human dignity, the Vatican press office reported.

This encounter follows controversy surrounding the Pope's previous statements calling for trial. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, a senior Vatican official, made it clear that the first condition for such negotiations is that Russia cease its aggression. The Pope had previously emphasized that the courage to negotiate was crucial in order to avoid further escalation. However, these statements were viewed as unfortunate in Ukraine as they gave the impression that Ukraine should capitulate, which led to angry reactions. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba then addressed the Pope with the clear indication that Ukraine would never fly any flag other than its yellow-blue national flag, the reported daily news.

Amid these tensions, the Pope underlined in an interview that negotiations are crucial in order not to further aggravate the situation. Cardinal Parolin told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that an immediate ceasefire was essential to prevent further death and destruction. These clarifications from the Vatican appear aimed at calming the growing unrest in Ukraine and strengthening the message of peace efforts to defuse geopolitical tensions in the region, as CAPE reported.