“It (the operation) was a great success,” he said, adding with a laugh that “they didn’t tell me anything” about the alleged cancer, which he dismissed as “court gossip.”
Ukraine travel plans
During the interview, Francis said he would like to go to Moscow and Kyiv to “try to help in some way” with peace. “And now it is possible, after I come back from Canada, it is possible that I will be able to go to Ukraine,” he said. “The first thing is to go to Russia to try to help in some way, but I would like to go to both capitals.” Pope Francis has been accused of not going far enough in his criticism of Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, although he has condemned the war in Ukraine. Last Thursday he indirectly accused Moscow of waging a “brutal and senseless war of aggression”. Responding to his comments, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said on Monday: “It is time to deepen relations with those who sincerely desire it. We renew the invitation to Pope Francis to visit our country and urge you to continue to pray for the Ukrainian people. “
