Pope Francis lauds 'brave' Ukrainians, but says war was 'perhaps in some way provoked'

Pope Francis has expressed support for Ukraine and condemned "the cruelty of Russian troops" in the war, according to a text of a conversation he had with editors of Jesuit media.

Still, Francis insisted that there were no "good guys and bad guys'' and that Russia was in some ways provoked by NATO's expansion east.

"We do not see the whole drama unfolding behind this war, which was perhaps somehow either provoked or not prevented," he said, adding that such a statement didn't make him "pro-Putin."

"It would be simplistic and wrong to say such a thing," he said.