Skip to main content

Responding to pope, NATO boss says Ukraine needs weapons, not white flags

1 min

NATO boss Jens Stoltenberg made clear on Monday that he disagreed with Pope Francis’s comments that Ukraine should have the "courage of the white flag" and negotiate an end to the war triggered by Russia’s invasion.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Reuters/Yves Herman

NATO boss Jens Stoltenberg made clear on Monday that he disagreed with Pope Francis’s comments that Ukraine should have the "courage of the white flag" and negotiate an end to the war triggered by Russia’s invasion.

Asked about the pope’s remarks, the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization told Reuters: "If we want a negotiated peaceful lasting solution, the way to get there is to provide military support to Ukraine."

In an interview at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Stoltenberg said "what happens around a negotiating table is inextricably linked to the strength on the battlefield".

Asked if his reaction meant now was not the time to talk about a white flag, Stoltenberg said: "It's not the time to talk about surrender by the Ukrainians. That will be a tragedy for the Ukrainians. It will also be dangerous for all of us."

Reporting by Andrew Gray

Tags

Related

United Nations

Trump orders US exit from the World Health Organization

The United States will exit the World Health Organization, President Donald Trump said on Monday, saying the global health agency had mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health crises.

Politics

Putin congratulates Trump

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on taking office hours before Trump's inauguration in Washington and said he was open to dialogue with the new U.S. administration on Ukraine and nuclear arms.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Mena banner 4

To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.

  • Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.

  • Analytics cookies help us to improve our website by collecting and reporting information on its usage.

  • We use marketing cookies to help us improve the relevancy of advertising campaigns you receive.