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Pope Francis' 'white flag' comment criticized by Ukrainian and allied officials

Published

2 years ago

March 11, 2024

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Pope Francis' 'white flag' comment criticized by Ukrainian and allied officials

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Pope Francis is being criticized by Ukrainian officials for comments made during an interview last month that aired over the weekend, calling for Ukraine to have “the courage of the white flag” and negotiate an end to Russia’s war with Ukraine.

During an interview recorded last month with Swiss broadcaster RSI, which was partially released on Saturday, the pontiff argued that Ukraine should be open to peace talks with Russia, as Ukraine faces possible defeat.

“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,” Francis said in response to a question on whether Ukraine should agree to peace talks or if negotiations would legitimize Russia’s aggression toward the country.

Foreign ministers of both Ukraine and Poland condemned Francis’ remarks on social media on Sunday.

POPE FRANCIS APPEARS UNABLE TO CLUB STEPS TO POPEMOBILE FOLLOWING WEEKLY GENERAL AUDIENCE

Pope Francis attends his weekly general audience in the Pope Paul VI hall at the Vatican on Aug. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in his post that the strongest one is the one who stands on the side of good while in the fight between good and evil, instead of attempting to put both sides on the same footing with negotiations.

“When it comes to the white flag, we know this Vatican’s strategy from the first half of the twentieth century. I urge you to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past and to support Ukraine and its people in their just struggle for their lives,” Kuleba said. “Our flag is a yellow and blue one. This is the flag by which we live, die, and prevail. We shall never raise any other flags.”

POPE FRANCIS HOSPITALIZED BRIEFLY AFTER DEALING WITH FLU SYMPTOMS

The foreign minister thanked the pope for constant prayers for peace, adding that he hopes the pontiff will make an “apostolic visit” to Ukraine in support of its people, both Christian and non-Christian.

Poland’s foreign minister, Radek Sikorski, also weighed in on Francis’ comments.

“How about, for balance, encouraging Putin to have the courage to withdraw his army from Ukraine,” Sikorski said. “Peace would immediately ensue without the need for negotiations.”

The Associated Press reported that Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of Ukraine’s Greek Catholic Church, said Sunday that Ukrainians may be exhausted, surrender is not on their minds as they stand against Russia.

PRIESTS APOLOGIZE FOR PRAYING POPE FRANCIS WOULD ‘GO TO HEAVEN’ AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

“Believe me, it never crosses anyone’s mind to surrender,” Shevchuk said while speaking with Ukrainians in New York City.

“Even where there is fighting today: listen to our people in Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Kharkiv, Sumy,” he added, mentioning regions under Russian drone attacks and heavy artillery.

Matteo Bruni, a spokesperson at the Vatican, said Saturday that the pope supported “a stop to hostilities [and] a truce achieved with the courage of negotiations,” instead of an all-out surrender by Ukraine, The AP reported.

Bruni also said the journalist who interviewed Francis used the term “white flag” in the question, which prompted the now controversial remarks.

BRITAIN SAYS IT WILL PROVIDE 10,000 DRONES TO UKRAINE IN ITS FIGHT AGAINST RUSSIA

A Ukrainian flag waves in a residential area heavily damaged in the village of Dolyna in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine after the withdrawal of Russian troops on September 24. (Photo by Metin Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Francis has attempted to maintain diplomatic neutrality, as is tradition at the Vatican, throughout the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Still, the pontiff’s stance has been met with what could be interpreted as sympathy with Russia’s rationale for invading Ukraine, including when Francis noted that NATO was “barking at Russia’s door” with its eastward expansion.

Francis said during the interview with RSI that “negotiations are never a surrender.”

“When you see that you are defeated, that things are not going well, you have to have the courage to negotiate,” the pope said.

On Sunday, as Francis conducted the Angelus prayer from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square, he said he was praying for peace in the “tormented Ukraine and in the Holy Land.”

“Let the hostilities which cause immense suffering among the civilian population cease as soon as possible,” he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

World

Two-train crash leaves at least 1 dead, 89 injured as emergency crews rush to chaotic scene

Published

2 minutes ago

June 20, 2026

Press Room

Two-train crash leaves at least 1 dead, 89 injured as emergency crews rush to chaotic scene

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Authorities are responding after two passenger trains crashed into each other Friday near Bedford, England, killing at least one person and injuring nearly 90 others.

The East of England Ambulance Service said it was called to a collision involving two trains at Elstow, near Bedford, at about 5:15 p.m. local time and quickly declared a “major incident.”

One person died at the scene, 11 people suffered very serious injuries, 22 were seriously injured and 56 people had minor injuries, officials said.

Bedford is roughly 60 miles north of London.

2 TRAINS COLLIDE IN DENMARK, LEAVING 5 PEOPLE CRITICALLY INJURED

Two passenger trains collided Friday in the United Kingdom. (Fox News)

All the patients with the most serious injuries have been taken from the scene to hospital.

The ambulance service said it sent numerous resources to the scene, including more than 20 ambulances, specialist hazardous area response teams and six air ambulances.

MULTIPLE STABBED IN UK TRAIN ATTACK NEAR CAMBRIDGE AS POLICE ARREST 2 SUSPECTS

Emergency crews were pictured working near the scene. (Fox News)

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected, and we thank all emergency service colleagues for their swift response,” the ambulance service wrote in a statement.

The Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed its crews were also responding.

“Please avoid the area,” fire officials wrote in a statement on X.

Sources told The Telegraph the train driver was on the phone with maintenance staff discussing a safety issue at the time of the crash.

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This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Alexandra Koch is a Fox News Digital journalist who covers breaking news, with a focus on high-impact events that shape national conversation.

She has covered major national crises, including the L.A. wildfires, Potomac and Hudson River aviation disasters, Boulder terror attack, and Texas Hill Country floods.

World

Lebanese influencer organises World Cup event amid Israel’s attack on Leban

Published

1 hour ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

Lebanese influencer organises World Cup event amid Israel’s attack on Leban

NewsFeed

As Israel’s war on Lebanon rages, hundreds gather in Rmeileh by Sidon Gate to watch the 2026 World Cup. Organised by influencer Bilal Haddad, the fan zone offers food trucks, shisha and family activities, giving people a rare chance to relax. Al Jazeera’s Justin Salhani went to check it out.

Published On 20 Jun 2026

World

On the South Lawn, a UFC fighter’s victory frames an unusual White House scene

Published

9 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

On the South Lawn, a UFC fighter’s victory frames an unusual White House scene

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mark Schiefelbein has been based in Washington, D.C., with AP for about three years, and before that spent a decade in Beijing at AP’s China bureau.

Here’s what he had to say about this extraordinary photo.

Why this photo?

This was an event that had never happened before in the 250-year history of the United States and may never happen again: a night of mixed martial-arts cage match brawls on the South Lawn of the White House, with bloodied competitors battling it out in front of the president, vice president, and other leaders of the country. AP had other photographers ringside at the event focusing more on the fights themselves. So I felt my role was to capture the context of the evening — the location, the people in attendance, the environment.

How I made this photo

A small group of other photographers and I, the White House press pool, had been allowed to photograph part of the evening from a position in the stands directly opposite the White House. I was carrying four cameras with a variety of lenses from 12 mm to 300 mm. This let me capture everything from ultra-wide views of the “claw” structure built for the fights, to close-ups of leaders and celebrities in attendance. I had been following Diego Lopes with my longest lens as he moved around the ring celebrating his win over Steve Garcia. When I saw him start to climb onto the cage, I immediately realized there might be a possibility of a picture like this and zoomed out to capture more of the scene.

An octagon on the White House lawn for Trump’s 80th birthday and the nation’s 250th, in photos

1 of 30 |

President Donald Trump and Dana White, UFC president and CEO, arrive for UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

2 of 30 |

Diego Lopes fights Steve Garcia in a featherweight bout during UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington.(Evan Vucci/Pool Photo via AP)

3 of 30 |

President Donald Trump attends UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

4 of 30 |

Josh Hokit lands a punch as he fights Derrick Lewis during their heavyweight bout at UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

5 of 30 |

Diego Lopes, stands on the ring fence during the featherweight bout against Steve Garcia during UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

6 of 30 |

President Donald Trump, center, gestures as he attends UFC Freedom 250 alongside UFC President and CEO Dana White, left, and first lady Melania Trump on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, June 15, 2026. (Evan Vucci/Pool Photo via AP)

7 of 30 |

Nic Becker, of Houston, shows off a Freedom 250 tattoo he got earlier in the day during UFC Fan Fest on the White House Ellipse ahead of the fights on the South Lawn, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

8 of 30 |

Lightweight Justin Gaethje is filmed by a crew on the White House Collannade, as he walks to UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, June 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

9 of 30 |

First lady Melania Trump walks out to the UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

10 of 30 |

Fans wear America-themed clothing during the UFC Fan Fest on the White House Ellipse ahead of UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

11 of 30 |

President Donald Trump and UFC President and CEO Dana White watch the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and U.S. Navy Blue Angels perform a fly over the White House during the UFC Freedom 250 fights on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

12 of 30 |

U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Navy Blue Angels perform a flyover during the National Anthem at UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (Win McNamee/Pool Photo via AP)

13 of 30 |

MMA fighter Sean Strickland is escorted out of the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest on The Ellipse by U.S. Secret Service and other law enforcement ahead of UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (Kevin Dietsch/Pool Photo via AP)

14 of 30 |

UFC fans take video before the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

15 of 30 |

Eric Albarracin at the UFC Fan Fest on the White House Ellipse ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

16 of 30 |

Kai Trump arrives before the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

17 of 30 |

Diego Lopes participates in the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

18 of 30 |

UFC commentator Joe Rogan during the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

19 of 30 |

Ilia Topuria, center, during the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

20 of 30 |

People arrive before the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

21 of 30 |

Motorsports athletes and stunt performers do a motorcycle jump ahead of the UFC Freedom 250 fights on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)

22 of 30 |

Isaiah Francisco and Eric Albarracin at the UFC Fan Fest on the White House Ellipse ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

23 of 30 |

UFC bantamweight fighters Sean O’Malley and Aiemann Zahabi face off during a UFC news conference at the Lincoln Memorial, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

24 of 30 |

A UFC fan participates in the UFC striking challenge before the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

25 of 30 |

The UFC Fan Fest on the White House Ellipse ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

26 of 30 |

The UFC holds a news conference at the Lincoln Memorial, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

27 of 30 |

UFC fighter Alex Pereira holds his UFC belts at a UFC news conference at the Lincoln Memorial, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

28 of 30 |

UFC bantamweight fighter Sean O’Malley enters a UFC news conference at the Lincoln Memorial, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

29 of 30 |

The UFC Fan Fest on the White House Ellipse ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

30 of 30 |

Audience members cheer and boo during a UFC news conference at the Lincoln Memorial, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

Why this photo works

The White House is surely one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. The columns of the South Portico, the fighter standing with arms and legs spread wide in celebration, and the octagon padding of the UFC ring tell an entire story as your eyes move from top to bottom of the frame. With Lopes standing with his back to the camera, facing the White House, it becomes less a photo of him and more about the evening, the event, and the spectacle. It was fortunate that it was after nightfall, so things that might have been distracting, like the Marine Band and spectators seated behind the ring, are mostly in the dark. Only the key elements – the White House, Lopes, and the ring are lit up.

—

For more extraordinary AP photography, click here.