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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reacted angrily to the Pope's statement.
© Armando Babani/AP/dpa
The Pope's words about peace negotiations and the raising of the "white flag" are causing outrage not only in Kiev.
The developments at a glance.
Kiev - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj has sharply rejected a controversial appeal from Pope Francis for peace negotiations with Russia.
The church is with the people, said Zelenskyj in his evening video address.
“And not two and a half thousand kilometers away, somewhere, to virtually mediate between someone who wants to live and someone who wants to destroy you.”
Zelensky continued: “When Russian evil started this war on February 24 (2022), all Ukrainians stood up to defend themselves.
Christians, Muslims, Jews - everyone.” And he thanks every Ukrainian clergyman who is in the army, in the defense forces.
They are on the front line, they protect life and humanity, they support with prayers, conversations and actions.
"That's what the church is - with the people."
The pontiff had sparked massive opposition with a misleading appeal for peace negotiations in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
The statements by the head of the Catholic Church were understood in Ukraine and by many of her supporters as a one-sided appeal to Kiev alone - and by some even as a call for surrender.
In an interview published on Swiss television at the weekend, the 87-year-old also used the phrase "white flag" - in times of war for centuries the sign of surrender, i.e. surrender without a fight against enemy troops, with a view to the difficulties faced by the Ukrainian army.
“Our flag is blue and yellow, that is the flag with which we live, die and persevere,” replied Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
The federal government and Poland also criticized the pontiff.
“When you see that you are defeated, that things are not going well, you have to have the courage to negotiate,” said Francis in the interview, which was conducted at the beginning of February but has only now become known.
Without naming either of the parties to the conflict, Russia or Ukraine, he added: “Don’t be ashamed to negotiate before things get even worse.” Nevertheless, this was often understood as a reference, especially to Ukraine.
Baerbock on Pope quotes: “Don’t understand it”
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock reacted dumbfounded to the Pope's appeal.
“I really wonder what he was thinking,” said the Green politician on the ARD program “Caren Miosga”.
"I dont understand."
Baerbock demanded that you have to have the courage to stand by the people of Ukraine and do everything for Ukraine so that it can defend itself.
If there was a minimal chance that the Russian side would show a willingness to talk, “then the whole world would be there and talk.
Unfortunately, we see the opposite every day.”
Zelensky praises anti-aircraft defense
Zelensky praised the anti-aircraft soldiers “who defend our skies day and night.”
On Sunday night alone, they managed to shoot down 35 so-called Shahed-type kamikaze drones.
“In total, the Russian terrorists have already used 175 of these killer drones against Ukraine since the beginning of March; fortunately, 151 of them were shot down by our soldiers.” Nevertheless, there are casualties among the civilian population.
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At the same time, Zelensky announced the further expansion of firepower and Ukrainian air defense.
“More air defense systems and other means to defend against Russian aircraft means more peace,” he said.
Baerbock open to ring exchange of cruise missiles
Baerbock was also open to the suggestion of her British colleague David Cameron to provide Ukraine with new cruise missiles through a ring exchange.
“That would be an option,” she said on “Caren Miosga”.
She pointed out that such a ring exchange had already taken place with other material.
In an exchange of rings, Germany could give Taurus cruise missiles to Great Britain - and London, in turn, could deliver further Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine.
Report: Russia gains dominance with aircraft bombs
According to a US media report, Russia's army has gained tactical advantages by increasing the use of guided aircraft bombs on the fronts in Ukraine.
As the news channel CNN reported on Sunday, Ukraine has hardly any defense options against the FAB-1500 gliding bomb.
The bomb, which weighs almost 1.5 tons, can be dropped on its targets by aircraft from a distance of 60 to 70 kilometers, beyond the reach of Ukrainian anti-aircraft defenses.
Small wings allow the bomb to hit its target relatively accurately.
The impact creates a 15 meter wide crater.
Speaking to CNN, Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuri Ihnat confirmed that the increased use of these glide bombs was most recently noticed in the fighting for the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka.
“Within 24 hours, 250 of them were deployed,” he said.
Russia is converting its old bombs to the new, controlled type in a factory near Moscow.
“This is not a cheap or quick conversion, but it still costs less than the millions for a rocket,” Ihnat said.
Report: Russian naval chief fired
The commander of the Russian Navy, Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov, has been retired, according to an officially unconfirmed report.
The newspaper “Izvestia” reported this on Sunday, citing unnamed sources.
Yevmenov was replaced by Admiral Alexander Moiseyev, the previous commander of the Northern Fleet.
There was initially no information about this on the Russian Ministry of Defense website.
“Izvestia” did not give a reason for the personnel change.
Recently, the Russian Black Sea Fleet suffered significant losses of combat ships and soldiers due to attacks by Ukrainian missiles and so-called sea drones - unmanned boats loaded with explosives.
Because of the threat from Ukrainian forces, Russian naval combat units have largely withdrawn from the occupied Crimean peninsula.
This will be important on Monday
The Bundestag Defense Committee will discuss the Russian wiretapping operation against Air Force officers in a special meeting on Monday.
The background is a recording published by Russia of a conversation between senior German Air Force officers, in which they discuss operational scenarios in the event that the German Taurus cruise missile were to be delivered to Ukraine.
At the meeting, the Union also wants to address Chancellor Olaf Scholz's negative attitude towards a Taurus delivery to Ukraine.
dpa