Cardinal Robert Sarah has stated that the post-Christian elites of the West harbor a deep hatred for Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church. This was mentioned in relation to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, which began with the annexation of Crimea and escalated into a full-scale war.
Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, a progressive cardinal who ran humanitarian aid efforts for Ukraine through Caritas Internationalis, has been cited as one of the leading candidates for the papacy. However, he has been restrained in his commentary on the war, focusing on general phrases about suffering and war rather than denouncing the aggressor.
When asked to comment on the Russian tank shell that killed two Ukrainian Caritas workers and their five family members, Tagle expressed “deep sadness and shock” and urged the international community to bring an end to the violence through dialogue.
It is unclear whether Tagle’s views on Russia’s aggression in Ukraine would influence his papacy if he were to be selected as the next pope.
