Patriarch Kirill and President of France discuss Middle East and Ukraine

Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill and President of France Francois Hollande discussed, inter alia, protection of Christians and peacekeeping efforts in Ukraine at Monday’s meeting in the Elysee Palace in Paris, according to RIA News.

The Primate informed the French President on the position of the Russian Orthodox Church with regard to the Ukrainian conflict. He laid a special emphasis on the fact that the ROC took initially a peacekeeping standpoint unlike certain religious communities of Ukraine.

“In our opinion, church peacekeeping is the only gear, able to reconcile people in Ukraine at the moment. In this sense of big importance is a peacekeeping mission of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” declared the Patriarch.

President Hollande noted that France attaches huge significance to the fulfillment of Minsk agreements with respect to the conflict in Ukraine.

On December 3rd Patriarch Kirill began his visit to Korsun diocese. During his visit that continues till December 7th the ROC Primate is going to visit not only Paris, but Swiss town Zurich, where he will lead church festivities on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Christ Resurrection shrine.