Pope Francis Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] As Russia's airstrikes on Ukraine continue for nearly two months, Pope Francis has revealed that he is considering a visit to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. The Pope criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, who initiated the invasion of Ukraine, saying, "Some potentates are causing and fueling the conflict."

According to AP News and others, the Pope, while on a private plane heading to the Mediterranean island nation of Malta, was asked by reporters whether he was considering the request from Ukrainian political and religious leaders to visit Kyiv. He replied, "Yes, I am considering the visit." However, he refrained from providing further details.

During his speech on the Malta tour, the Pope criticized Russia's invasion of Ukraine, stating, "Sadly, some potentates are trapped in an anachronistic idea of nationalist interests." He also condemned the Ukraine war as "a reckless and destructive invasion." Although the Pope did not directly mention President Putin by name, the context clearly pointed to him, and AP News interpreted the mention of a specific responsible individual as a sign of the Pope's deep anger.

The Pope said that day, "A dark shadow of war is spreading from the east of Europe," adding, "I thought that invasion of other countries, brutal urban warfare, and nuclear threats were gloomy memories of the distant past." He continued, "But the cold wind of war, which brings only death, destruction, and hatred, is strongly sweeping through many lives and affecting us all," urging, "Let us not let the dream of peace fade in this night of war facing humanity."

The Pope's remarks came amid growing concerns over civilian casualties and humanitarian crises as Russia's invasion of Ukraine surpassed one month. Referring to Ukrainian refugees, the Pope said, "A broad and shared response to the growing migration emergency is required," adding, "If other countries remain indifferent bystanders, some countries cannot address the entire problem alone."