Patriarch Kirill condemned the use of military equipment in Ukraine and the denial of the right of political opponents to their beliefs
Moscow - Kyiv, May 03 (Navigator, Mikhail Ryabov) - The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill, condemned the use of military equipment in the conflict in Ukraine and the denial of the right of political opponents to their beliefs.
This is stated in a special address from the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, published today.
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“Blood is being shed again in Ukraine. Clashes in the Donetsk region and tragic events in Odessa led to the death of dozens of people and further destabilized the situation in the country. Many are experiencing despair, fearing for their lives and the lives of loved ones...
Responsibility for what is happening now falls primarily on those who resort to violence instead of dialogue. The use of heavy military equipment in civil confrontation is of particular concern. The reason for the use of force is often a commitment to political radicalism and the denial of citizens' right to express their beliefs.
In the conditions of modern Ukraine, only one political position cannot be declared the only possible and generally binding one. This is disastrous for the country. I am convinced that attempts to assert one’s point of view by force should be abandoned once and for all. I call on all parties to refrain from using weapons and resolve all issues through negotiations. In the short term, Ukraine needs at least a truce; in the long term, a lasting and inalienable peace.
Ukraine can heal and follow the path of creating a decent life for its citizens only by being a common home for people of different political beliefs, who differ in many ways from each other. There is no alternative to dialogue. It is necessary, while there is still such an opportunity, to hear each other and try not only to resolve the current contradictions, but also to renew fidelity to Christian spiritual and moral values that shaped the people of Ukraine, enriched them with wisdom and love of truth. I believe that these are the values that will help today find the path to peace and justice, without which a worthy future for the country is unthinkable,” Patriarch Kirill said in a statement.
English version :: Read in English Patriarch Kirill condemned the use of military equipment in Ukraine and the denial of political opponents' rights to their beliefs.