War in Ukraine: for Pope Francis “the third world war has already been declared”

Pope Francis affirmed that, in his opinion, “World War III was declared“, and that the war in Ukraine after the invasion of Russia” perhaps, somehow, was provoked“.

The pontiff’s statements were made known through the transcription of an interview he had a few days ago with the directors of the European cultural magazines of the Society of Jesus.

“A few years ago it occurred to me to say that we were experiencing a torn third world war. Now, for me, World War III was declared. And this is an aspect that should make us reflect. What is happening to humanity that has had three world wars in a century? “, Said Francisco according to the transcript of this conversation published today by the newspaper The print.

Responding to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and how it can contribute to peace, Francis said that “we must move away from the normal pattern that Little Red Riding Hood was good and the wolf was bad. Something global is emerging, with very intertwined elements“.

And he cited the opinion of a Head of State whom he met before the war began and who expressed his concern “for how NATO was moving“.

“I asked him why and he replied: ‘They are barking at the gates of Russia. And they do not understand that the Russians are imperial and do not allow any foreign power to come near them’ and concluded by saying that ‘the situation could lead to war. That head of state could read the signs of what was happening, “Francis said.

For Francis there is the danger of concentrating only on the “brutality and ferocity with which this war is waged by the troops, generally mercenary, used by the Russians, who prefer to send Chechens, Syrians and mercenaries” and which “is something monstrous”.

But, he added, “also not to see all the drama that is going on behind this war, which perhaps has been provoked or not prevented in some way. And I register an interest in testing and selling weapons. It is very sad, but basically this. it is what is at stake ».

The pontiff said some believe that this is in favor of Russian President Vladimir Putin. “No, I am not. It is simplistic and wrong to say such a thing. But I am alone against the reduction of complexity to the distinction between good and evilwithout thinking about roots and interests, which are very complex, “he said.

Francisco wanted to reiterate his admiration for “the heroism of the Ukrainian peopleand affirmed that “what we have before our eyes is a situation of world war, global interests, arms sales and geopolitical appropriation, which is martyring a heroic people”.

The Argentine pontiff also stressed the danger that attention to what is happening in Ukraine diminishes over time, asking: “What will happen when the enthusiasm to help decreases? Why are things cooling down?”who will take care of these women? We must look beyond the concrete action of the moment, and see how we will support them so that they do not fall into the trafficking, why they do not exploit them, because the vultures are already turning “.

Jorge Bergoglio said that during the 40-minute conversation he had with the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, Cirilo, the latter read to him “a statement in which he provided the reasons for justifying the war” and who replied: “Brother, we are not clerics of the state, we are pastors of the people“.

He explained that it was mutually agreed to postpone the meeting that had been scheduled for June 14 in Jerusalem “so that the dialogue is not misunderstood” and announced that he hopes to meet the Russian patriarch in Kazakhstan in September when the VII Congress of the Heads of World and Traditional Religions, to be held in Nur-Sultan.

Source: EFE