Francis Tacitly Condemns NATO's Role in Fomenting the Ukraine War

https://www.politico.eu/article/pope-francis-nato-cause-ukraine-invasion-russia/

The comments of Pope Francis on Ukraine are certain to raise eyebrows. He's not following the dominant (and in many cases mandatory) narrative that the Western Establishment continues to promote.  Initially a darling of the Left, the tenure of Francis has proven to be complicated and he has alienated many. One wonders if his ambiguity on the question of Ukraine and his tacit condemnation of US-led NATO machinations in the region will not turn more of his former allies against him.

The Ukraine War has certainly turned brutal but it's also clear that the original Russian invasion plan and strategy was something quite different. The war has not gone as expected and has proved to be (in addition to a great crime) a stunning case of miscalculation. As a consequence it has turned even more ugly and the frustration and bitterness is starting to play out in terms of the violence. The proxy nature of the war and the fact that Washington (in particular) is effectively holding the hand of the Zelenskiy regime is telling. From sunken ships, to assassinated generals, to the impressive flow of weaponry it's very clear the US is all but using Ukraine as a proxy to fight its long sought war with Moscow.

Additionally the fact that Francis continues to pursue negotiations with Putin (even while dancing around the issues of Kirill and the Moscow Patriarchate), demonstrates his pursuit of policies and goals at odds with that of NATO and particularly the Americans. His open statements regarding NATO culpability in this series of events is certain to upset many in the American mainstream. And yet we must commend Bergoglio's way of framing the issue. Putin's criminality cannot be denied. No excuses can be made for what he has done. But as is often the case with such conflicts – there's more to the story and the 'innocent' and the 'good' are also at fault and they too have blood on their hands. And then reaching beyond figures like Zelenskiy, Stoltenberg, and even Biden, there are other figures (some whose names are not as well known) who bear seriously responsibility for creating the tensions that have now exploded into war. Putin invaded Ukraine but NATO created the conditions and in many respects set the trap.

Macron attempted to take on the role of mediator but eventually realized the Americans had no interest in ending the war. The Ukrainians are their cannon fodder and props for their propaganda campaign. And now we see Zelenskiy has betrayed the confidence of Macron and has publicly revealed Macron's negotiating points in an attempt to make him look conniving, unprincipled, and compromised. With the number of enemies Francis has, you can be sure there are those who will jump at an opportunity to betray him and make him look foolish as well.