Originally published at The Catholic Thing
Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, says the Vatican is not mediating between Ukraine and Russia because neither side has requested Rome’s help in settling the 3-year-old conflict. He also expressed concern about Russia’s attempts to weaponize religion and manipulate Ukrainian communities abroad. Pope Francis has previously faced multiple controversies in his approach to the Russian invasion. The pope’s calls for peace negotiations have drawn criticism for potentially benefiting Russia by freezing the conflict without addressing Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
