The Vatican is “ready to help” negotiations to stop the war in Ukraine after Moscow’s invasion, Pope Francis’s number two said in interviews published Monday.
“The Holy See, which in recent years has followed the events in Ukraine constantly, discreetly and with great attention, offering its availability to facilitate dialogue with Russia, is always ready to help the parties to resume that path,” said Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
An escalation of the conflict to involve other countries “would be a catastrophe of gigantic proportions,” he said in an interview with several Italian dailies, including the Corriere della Sera and La Repubblica.
The possible return of a Cold War was “also a disturbing scenario,” he said.
“I am convinced that there is always room for negotiation. It is never too late! Because the only reasonable and constructive way to settle differences is through dialogue,” he said.
“We must avoid any escalation, stop the clashes and negotiate,” Parolin added.
“[T]he only reasonable and constructive way to settle differences is through dialogue, as Pope Francis never tires of repeating,” he said.
On Sunday, Pope Francis called for an end to fighting, saying: “Let the weapons fall silent… God is with those who seek peace, not those resorting to violence.”
Cardinal Parolin said “there is a need to avoid any escalation, (to) stop the clashes and negotiate.” He also expressed concern about the “possible return to ‘a new cold war with two opposing blocs.’”
“[Such] disturbing scenario goes against the culture of fraternity that Pope Francis proposes as the only way to build a just, solidarity-based and peaceful world,” he said.
He said the Vatican “has followed the events in Ukraine constantly, discreetly, and with great attention, offering its willingness to facilitate dialogue with Russia, is always ready to help the parties to resume that path.”
The cardinal said that “communication and listening to each other is necessary in order to fully know and understand the reasons of others.”
“When people stop communicating and listening sincerely to each other, they look at each other with suspicion and end up exchanging only mutual accusations,” he said, adding that “developments in recent months have only fueled this mutual deafness, leading to open conflict.”
“The aspirations of each country and their legitimacy must be the subject of a common reflection, in a broader context and, above all, taking into account the choices of citizens and respecting international law,” said Cardinal Parolin. – with a report from Agence France Presse