The first condition for any negotiations to end the war in Ukraine is that Russia must stop its aggression. This was stated by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, the second person after the Pope in the Corriere della Sera.


Commenting on Pope Francis' scandalous statement that Ukraine should "demonstrate the courage of the white flag" and start negotiations with Russia to end the two-year war, Parolin said that the pontiff's call is to "create conditions for a diplomatic solution in search of a just and lasting peace."


"In this sense, it is obvious that the creation of such conditions depends not only on one of the parties, but on both, and the first condition seems to me to be the cessation of aggression," he added.


Perelin said that the Vatican "continues to demand a 'ceasefire' (first of all, the aggressor must cease fire) and, therefore, has started negotiations."


The Vatican Secretary of State also noted that Francis believes that "negotiations are not weakness, but strength, not surrender, but courage."


"The war unleashed against Ukraine is not the result of an uncontrollable natural disaster, but only of human freedom, and the same human will that caused this tragedy also has the opportunity and responsibility to take steps to put an end to it and pave the way for a diplomatic solution," he said.