Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba responded to Pope Francis' statement about the alleged need for Ukraine to raise the "white flag" and negotiate with Russia and expressed hope for an Apostolic visit to Ukraine in order to "support Catholics, Greek Catholics, all Christians and all Ukrainians."

"When it comes to the white flag, we know this Vatican's strategy from the first half of the twentieth century. I urge to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past and to support Ukraine and its people in their just struggle for their lives," Kuleba said on the X social network.

"Our flag is yellow and blue one. This is the flag by which we live, die, and prevail. We shall never raise any other flags," Kuleba said.

"We thank His Holiness Pope Francis for his constant prayers for peace, and we continue to hope that after two years of devastating war in the heart of Europe, the Pontiff will find an opportunity to pay an Apostolic visit to Ukraine to support over a million Ukrainian Catholics, over five million Greek-Catholics, all Christians, and all Ukrainians," he said.