Italian Politician Bindi Calls Zelenskyy's Refusal Of Vatican's Mediation Offer 'Alarming'

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Italian Politician Bindi Calls Zelenskyy's Refusal of Vatican's Mediation Offer 'Alarming'

ROME (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th May, 2023) The former chairman of the Italian Democratic Party, Maria Rosaria Bindi, said on Thursday that the refusal of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Vatican's mediation offer to resolve the Ukraine conflict is "very alarming."

On May 13, Zelenskyy told reporters after a meeting with the Catholic pontiff and senior Italian officials that he had rejected Pope Francis' offer of mediation in the conflict with Russia, saying he has nothing to talk about with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"I hope this is a communication strategy. Otherwise, I think that these are very alarming words," Bindi told Il Fatto Quotidiano newspaper.

She also noted that efforts aimed at establishing peace in Ukraine have been practically invisible. Various pacifist initiatives, as well as the desire of the Vatican to help resolve the Ukraine conflict, are still perceived as a call for the surrender of Ukraine, Bindi added.

"We are witnessing a military escalation, including with the transfer of F-16 fighter jets. But there is no investment in diplomacy. I really hope that something is happening at the 'underground' level, but too little is being done on the surface," Bindi said.

Last week, Vatican's Il Sismografo news blog said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy had allegedly agreed to hold talks with Pope Francis' special envoys to "discuss potential ceasefire" in Ukraine. Later, Pope Francis' spokesperson said that Cardinal Matteo Zuppi was tasked to lead a mission to broker a truce between parties to the Ukrainian conflict.