Today, however, it is necessary to criticize Francis for his recent comments about Ukraine. In an interview released last week, the pope said, "I think that the strongest one is the one who looks at the situation, thinks about the people and has the courage of the white flag, and negotiates." ...
There are three problems with the pope's approach to the Ukraine situation. One is endemic: We want a pope who articulates moral issues, but no one wants a pope who advocates war or who chooses one part of the human family over another. As I wrote previously about the pope's early comments about the war, "There is the conundrum: What does empathy for the people of Ukraine entail at this moment, when the heart of Putin shows itself to be immune to the pope's prayers for peace? Is it realistic to hope that a man who traffics in morally obscene lies to justify his own acts of aggression is likely to be moved by moral concerns at all?" The pope must witness to peace and acknowledge moral truths, and those two tasks are at odds in Ukraine's supremely justified effort to defend itself from unjust aggression.
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