Pope Francis Mediation, Russia, Ukraine.

[jojoju1998]

So how about it ?

[Dereich]

So far, Russia's demands have all been for Ukraine to give up some amount of its sovereignty and Ukraine has been unwilling to do so. If that's Russia's only demand and Ukraine isn't willing to agree to less than full sovereignty then there is no purpose in Francis mediating. The papacy is physically powerless and Francis can't go directly to the people since he doesn't really have moral authority over non-Catholics. This isn't a situation where he's a good mediator.

The best mediator here would be one who could either physically or economically force either Russia to agree to change their demand for sovereignty or force Ukraine to accept being less than a full country.

[jojoju1998]

So far, Russia's demands have all been for Ukraine to give up some amount of its sovereignty and Ukraine has been unwilling to do so. If that's Russia's only demand and Ukraine isn't willing to agree to less than full sovereignty then there is no purpose in Francis mediating. The papacy is physically powerless and Francis can't go directly to the people since he doesn't really have moral authority over non-Catholics. This isn't a situation where he's a good mediator.

The best mediator here would be one who could either physically or economically force either Russia to agree to change their demand for sovereignty or force Ukraine to accept being less than a full country.

The Ukranian Ambassador to the Holy See has said that they would welcome and they want Vatican Mediation. So I'm just going off that.

[NYSforKennedy2024]

There's no mediation needed. Russia is in the right here.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

There's no mediation needed. Russia is in the right here.

Yawn. Bait harder.

[BigSerg]

What? Those countries are not even Catholic. In any case, the best mediator would be the great patriarch of the Orthodox Church.

[jojoju1998]

What? Those countries are not even Catholic. In any case, the best mediator would be the great patriarch of the Orthodox Church.

The problem is that the Orthodox Patriach is at war with the Russian Orthodox Church which is seen as a an extension of the Russian Government. The Orthodox Church in Ukraine split in 2019 over the question of being pro Putin or Pro Constaniople.

Pope Francis is insitutionally neutral.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

It would be for the better if the US wink, nod, told Ukraine to follow the spirit of the Minsk Accord and forsaken the possibility of NATO membership for Ukraine in absolute terms.
We shouldn't try to make the Kremlin scared on purpose. We need to give it space.
Russia's a hungry lion. A hungry lion is most dangerous when cornered.
The situation has became too tense for the Pope to likely be of help. But if he can somehow preserve peace, then it'll be great.

[Middle-aged Europe]

The "best"? Probably not. The best mediator would be someone with ample experience mediating international conflicts and/or deeper understanding of the region and the players involved.

[CumbrianLefty]

Is there actually anything to this? Worth a try, I suppose, though don't get any hopes up.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

This feels an awful lot like a Hail Mary on the Ukrainians' part (pun intended) but it's not self-evidently ridiculous to attribute soft diplomatic power to the Pope in this sort of situation. John XXIII was a go-between at one point in the Cuban Missile Crisis, which involved two countries with non-Catholic supermajorities even though one of them had a Catholic head of state.

[All Along The Watchtower]

There's no mediation needed. Russia is in the right here.

This post is cursed and so is your signature and username.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

There's no mediation needed. Russia is in the right here.

This post is cursed and so is your signature and username.

Particularly in combination with one another.