Has Pope Francis Squandered the Chance To Be Peacemaker?

He has work to do to reclaim the Catholic Church’s moral authority and maximize chances of success.

File photo of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill February 12, 2016. AP/Gregorio Borgia, pool

Pope Francis seeks to broker an end to the war in Ukraine, but after wading into so many political squabbles during his tenure, he’ll have work to do to reclaim the Catholic Church’s moral authority and maximize chances of success.

In an interview with Il Corriere della Sera, the pope’s efforts got off to a rocky start. He suggested that Kyiv moving closer to the West amounted to “NATO barking at Russia’s doors” and that President Putin’s rage was “maybe facilitated by the West’s attitude.”

Enter your email to read this article.

Get 2 free articles when you subscribe.

or
Have an account? This is also a sign-in form.
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
Advertisement
The New York Sun

© 2025 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

or
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use