Pope Francis Calls Out 'The Whole Drama' Behind The War In Ukraine

In a new interview, Pope Francis had some harsh criticisms for both Russia with their invasion of Ukraine and the actions of the rest of the international community.

Speaking to La Civilta Cattolica, the Pope acknowledged the roles that both the West and Russia may have played in the ongoing conflict.

“We do not see the whole drama unfolding behind this war, which was perhaps somehow either provoked or not prevented,” he said during the interview, which took place in May.

During the interview, he said that the world thinks of "good guys" and "bad guys" in abstracts, but the real world is more complex. He applied this thinking to the war between Ukraine and Russia, along with all interested parties.

Pope Francis said he stands "against reducing complexity to the distinction between good guys and bad guys without reasoning about roots and interests, which are very complex."

He also commended the Ukrainians for their continued resistance to the Russian invasion. Later in the interview, he mentioned the history of Ukraine, including the suffering and their courage in times of hardship.

The Russians "encountered a brave people, a people who are struggling to survive and who have a history of struggle," he said.

Pope Francis also said that the world is increasingly more violent and admitted he believed WWIII is already here, pointing to lesser-known and reported conflicts around the world.

“This is something that should give us pause for thought. What is happening to humanity that we have had three world wars in a century? . . . This is bad for humanity, a calamity. To think that in one century there have been three world wars, with all the arms trade behind them!" the Pope commented.

"What is before our eyes is a situation of world war, global interests, arms sales, and geopolitical appropriation, which is martyring a heroic people," he added.