Putin is doubling down on a full-scale war after Ukraine launched a successful counter-offensive last week. Russia’s military was pushed out of a large area that they had been occupying.
Pope Francis’ comments come after Putin dramatically escalated the war by ordering a mobilization of 300,000 Russian reservists. And threatening nuclear war by saying, “Those who try to blackmail us with nuclear weapons should know that it can backfire.”
Putin also pledged to use “all means” to occupy Ukraine. And said “If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will use all available means to protect Russia and our people – this is not a bluff… I will underline – by all means at our disposal.
The Pope claims that it is madness to consider any use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
