The Vatican Reaffirms Its Commitment to the Ukrainian Formula for Peace
In a video message to the participants of the meeting on President Zelenskyy’s Peace Formula and achieving peace in Ukraine, which took place in Malta, the Holy See’s Secretary of State Pietro Parolin reaffirmed his commitment to addressing humanitarian issues and his readiness to continue efforts “aimed at alleviating the suffering of the Ukrainian people and returning prisoners and children to Ukraine.”
“What am I doing today for the Ukrainian people? Am I doing something?” Pope Francis asked the participants of Sunday prayer in June 2022, and Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, reminded them of their relevance in his video greeting to the participants of the meeting of security and foreign policy advisers on the implementation of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky’s Peace Formula. The third meeting was held in Malta on October 28–29, 2023, and brought together representatives of more than 65 states and international organizations.
Not resigning to the inevitability of war
“Pope Francis has renewed the call for peace with unprecedented insistence, both in his countless speeches and through his actions in support of Ukraine,” he recalled, pointing out that the participation of representatives of numerous states and international organizations shows that “we have not resigned to accepting the tragedy that is unfolding before our eyes and that we have the courage to face it.” “Finding a solution is not only Ukraine’s responsibility, but also a common responsibility,” the head of Vatican diplomacy emphasized.
Maximizing efforts
Remarking that many international bodies are working to ensure that “Ukraine can defend the integrity of its territory, to provide its citizens with security and the necessities of life, and to achieve the much-desired peace,” Cardinal Parolin regrettably acknowledges that this is still a long way off, and therefore argues that even more outstanding and more creative “efforts at all levels” are needed to overcome obstacles and open paths that seem unacceptable or impossible. “Taking on board its nature and mission, and delegating political affairs to the states autonomy, which is their prerogative, the Holy See calls for respect for international law, especially concerning territorial integrity, and encourages all initiatives aimed at finding a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine,” he added. As for the peace plan, which is the subject of the conference, the Secretary of State reaffirmed the Holy See’s support “in addressing humanitarian issues such as food security and environmental protection,” as well as its readiness “to continue its efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Ukrainian people and to return prisoners and children to Ukraine.”
The UGCC Department for Informationbased on the materials of Vatican News
