Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, said that “it is indisputable, and it is also honest to acknowledge, that the reaction of Ukrainians to Pope Francis’ statements [on the war] reflects a deep disappointment.”
The Pope “does not want to resign himself to war and is obstinate in believing in peace, inviting everyone to be its creative and courageous weavers and artisans,” Archbishop Gallagher said during the presentation of a book on the war. “What motivates the Holy Father is nothing but the desire to make dialogue and peace possible, inspired by the principle that the Church should not use the language of politics, but the language of Jesus.”