Vatican Confirms Pope’s Apology to Moscow Over Ukraine War Remarks

[Michie]

The Vatican confirmed on Thursday that it had apologised to Russia after Pope Francis made comments singling out the allegedly cruel role of Russian ethnic minorities in the Ukraine conflict.


Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni was asked about Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova saying on Thursday that the Vatican had apologised following the pope's comments.

"I can now confirm there were diplomatic contacts to that effect," he said.
Pope Francis had said in an interview in November that some of the "cruellest" actors among Russia's ranks in Ukraine "are not of the Russian tradition", but minorities like "the Chechens, the Buryati and so on".

This drew indignation from Russia, with Zakharova describing the comments as "beyond Russophobia", and "perversion".

Continued below.

Vatican confirms apology to Moscow over pope comments | News24

The Vatican confirmed on Thursday that it had apologised to Russia after Pope Francis made comments singling out the allegedly cruel role of Russian ethnic minorities in the Ukraine conflict

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[Homeowner]

"I can now confirm there were diplomatic contacts to that effect," he said.
Pope Francis had said in an interview in November that some of the "cruellest" actors among Russia's ranks in Ukraine "are not of the Russian tradition", but minorities like "the Chechens, the Buryati and so on".

This drew indignation from Russia, with Zakharova describing the comments as "beyond Russophobia", and "perversion".

The Pope could have apologised and admitted that they agree now to the point of the soldiers of the Russian tradition being just as cruel actors as any Chechen or Buryati when murdering and raping Ukrainian civilians.

Everyone would have been happy and no discrimination around to be offended by anyone.