It is not yet clear if Zubi will be welcome in Moscow and Kiev. Ukrainian President Zelensky himself visited the Pope two weeks ago. “It wasn’t an easy conversation, but of course he was there,” DeVolder says.
Then Zelensky again made it clear that Ukraine would not make territorial concessions in exchange for peace. Then he also rejected the words of Pope Francis that there were losses on both sides of the conflict. According to Zelensky, there can be no equality between the victim and the aggressor. The president has also made it clear several times that he does not need intermediaries, but weapons.
“We know his rhetoric,” De Volder replies, “but we also know that the Ukrainian people are literally bleeding today and that a whole generation of young people is dying.” So I think there is a great demand for peace among the Ukrainian people as well.” De Volder does not exclude, therefore, that Zubi’s mission has a chance of success somewhere. “The peace dove often seems naive, but sometimes it is the smartest and most far-sighted. The wind isn’t right, but you never know.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry said today that Russia views the pope’s initiative positively, but also confirmed that there are no immediate plans to visit Moscow.
