Pope repeats view Nato positioning was factor in Russia war move

Bloomberg

Moves and posturing by Nato may have “somehow provoked, or not prevented” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to Pope Francis, who reiterated a previously expressed view about the alliance in remarks published Tuesday by daily La Stampa.
Speaking during a pool interview with a group of newspapers, the Pope condemned the brutality and ferocity of Russian troops in Ukraine, but said that, in this conflict, “there is no metaphysical good or bad.”
The Pope also cryptically cited comments from a head of state he met in the months leading up to the war, who the pontiff said shared his concerns about the direction the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was taking.
The Pope had asked the leader why Nato was creating concerns in Europe, and the response was that “they are barking at the gates of Russia,” the Pope said. “That head of state was able to read the signs of what was happening,” Francis said in the interview.

Repeating Views
The comments Tuesday were not the first time the head of the Catholic Church has voiced concerns over the West’s role in influencing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24.
Italian daily Corriere Della Sera published a story last month featuring similar comments from the 85-year-old pontiff.
Putin has frequently cited what he calls Nato expansionism as one factor driving the invasion. Nato argues it is a defensive alliance only.
Francis has repeatedly called attention to the suffering of Ukrainians as the conflict has dragged on, and he’s denounced the war overall. However, he has not to date explicitly labeled Russia as the aggressor, taking pains to maintain the Vatican’s neutrality in the conflict.