
<p>Pope Francis is being criticized for his response to Russia&#8217;s invasion of Ukraine, particularly ;relating to comments about Russia being &#8220;provoked&#8221; by NATO.</p>



<p>&#8220;I am simply against turning a complex situation into a distinction between good guys and bad guys, without considering the roots and self-interests, which are very complex,&#8221; Francis said during an interview with the Jesuit review ;<em>La Civiltà Cattolica. &#8220;</em>While we witness the ferocity and cruelty of Russian troops, we should not forget the problems, and seek to solve them.&#8221;</p>



<p>Francis explained to <em>La Civiltà Cattolica</em> that Russia&#8217;s invasion of Ukraine is particularly offensive to the West and that is why people have paid more attention to this conflict than to current wars Nigeria, Congo, and Myanmar. ;</p>



<p>&#8220;War ;cannot be reduced to distinction between good guys and bad guys,&#8221; he continued. ;“Something global is emerging and the elements are very much entwined.”</p>



<p>Francis added that he spoke with a &#8220;very wise&#8221; head of state a couple of months before the invasion. Apparently, that person expressed concerns ;about the direction in which NATO was heading. ;&#8220;They are barking at the gates of Russia,&#8221; said Francis, ;quoting his anonymous source. &#8220;And they don&#8217;t understand that the Russians are imperial and they will not allow any foreign power to approach them&#8230;The situation could lead to war.&#8221;</p>



<p>The West is right to be angered by Russia&#8217;s use of mercenaries to fight in Ukraine, continued Francis, but that anger is distracting them from understanding the situation objectively.</p>



<p>&#8220;We do not see the whole drama unfolding behind this war, which was, ;perhaps, somehow either provoked or not prevented,&#8221; said the Pontiff, who went on to explain that Russia expected its invasion to be over within a week but has met unexpected resistance and bravery from the Ukrainian people. </p>



<p>&#8220;Today, for me, World War III has been declared. This is something that should give us pause for thought. What is happening to humanity that has had three world wars in a century?&#8221;</p>



<p>Francis also expressed concerns about the way the invasion of Ukraine and other ;conflicts has benefitted the ;arms industry in the West. ;&#8220;It is very sad, but at the end of the day that is what is at stake.&#8221;</p>



<p>The Pope&#8217;s interview concluded with his request for ;<em>La Civiltà Cattolica</em> ;to focus on &#8216;the human drama and dimension of war&#8217; including casualties and the perspectives of those who have lost loved ones. &#8220;Reflecting on this would greatly help humanity and the Church,&#8221; said Francis. &#8220;Carry out your socio-political reflections, but do not neglect the human dimension of war.&#8221;</p>



<p>A prime example of this is the plight of female Ukrainian refugees whose husbands are either fighting or trapped, he added. &#8220;We need to look beyond the concrete action of the moment, and see how we will support them so that they don&#8217;t fall into human trafficking or end up being used, because the vultures are already circling.&#8221;</p>



<p><strong>Sources:</strong></p>



<p><a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2022-06/pope-francis-ukraine-war-interview-civilta-cattolica.html">Pope: &#8216;War cannot be reduced to distinction between good guys and bad guys&#8217; </a></p>

Pope Francis Speaks on Russian Invasion – Pro Russia?
