Ukraine war: Pope says yes to weapons, Moscow-installed officials killed, tortured bodies unearthed
Pope Francis said on Thursday that it is morally legitimate for nations to supply weapons to Ukraine to help the country defend itself from Russian attacks.
Speaking at a 45-minute-long news conference aboard a plane, the Pope answered one of the reporters who asked whether it was right for nations to send arms to the assailed Eastern European state.
"This is a political decision which it can be moral, morally acceptable, if it is done under conditions of morality," he responded.
He further expounded on the Roman Catholic Church's "Just War" principles, which allow for the proportional use of lethal weapons in instances of self-defence against an aggressor nation.
Nevertheless, he also urged Kyiv to open up to eventual dialogue, while admitting it may be a challenge for the Ukrainian side.
Francis has left Kazakhstan after a three-day trip, which included an interfaith conference where he made comments that seemed aimed at Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill -- who is one of the most vocal supporters of the invasion of Ukraine and did not attend the meeting in person.
"God is peace. He guides us always in the way of peace, never that of war," the Pope said on Wednesday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met Friday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a security summit held in Uzbekistan.
The talks between the national leaders happened in the context of a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), an intergovernmental entity which promotes security and collaboration between Eurasian states.
While speaking to the Indian leader, Putin said that he wanted the war in Ukraine to end "as soon as possible", acknowledging the concerns Modi may have had.
He also engaged in a
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