Pope Francis said he wanted to meet with Vladimir Putin on February 25, after the dictator launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but the pontiff was denied permission by Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov.

This is reported by Vatican News.

The day after the full-scale war broke out, the Pope went to the Russian embassy to discuss the matter with the Russian ambassador, whom he described as a "good man."

"I have known him for six years since he arrived. He is a humanist. I remember a comment he made to me then: 'Nous sommes tombés dans la dictatorship de l'argent' (we have fallen into the dictatorship of money), talking about civilization." said the Pope.

During this visit, the pontiff expressed his willingness to go to Moscow and talk with Putin.

The Pope thought he could convince the dictator to end the war.

"Lavrov answered me very politely, saying, thank you, but at the moment it is not necessary," said Francis.

The Pope also called on journalists to be pacifists and oppose wars.

The Pope's position on the war in Ukraine

Cons

Pope Francis and the Vatican's position on Russian aggression have more than once caused surprise and even indignation among Ukrainians.

Yes, now he said that he considers Russians to be a "great nation" and does not believe in the brutality of Russian citizens towards Ukraine

Earlier, the Pope stated that he does not consider the war in Ukraine to be a conflict between good and evil and suggested that the Russian Federation could have provoked it.

He also stated that the war in Ukraine is the "Third World War".

At the same time, the pontiff is sure that Ukraine is not the only victim.

In his opinion, the war in Ukraine diverted attention from the problem of hunger in the world.

And before Easter, the traditional procession of the cross on Good Friday caused a scandal and indignation among Ukrainians.

The Vatican decided that a Ukrainian and a Russian woman would symbolically carry the cross as a sign of reconciliation between nations.

Pluses

It is fair to note that the Pope has repeatedly criticized Putin for unleashing a war.

He called on the dictator to stop the "flow of violence and death" in Ukraine.

The pontiff called Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian cities "merciless".

It came from the Pope and Patriarch Kirill, who became a "spiritual propagandist" in Russia.

Francis urged not to justify war with religion.

In addition, the Pope participated in the negotiations regarding the release of the defenders of "Azovstal".

As it turned out, he participated in the largest exchange of prisoners between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, during which more than 200 defenders of Mariupol were freed.

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