Victor Hrul. The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) has welcomed the ceasefire in Ukraine and supports the peace proposals to the final cessation of hostilities, said Tuesday the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill, opening the meeting of the Supreme Church Council of the ROC.

in Minsk, 12 February ended dialogues "channel four" with the participation of the President of the French Republic Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian colleagues Poroshenko. The contact group on the settlement of the situation in Ukraine has adopted a document on the complex of measures on execution of the Minsk agreements, involving, for example, a cease-fire in the Donbass with fifteen February, the withdrawal of heavy weapons and the development of a security zone.

"The ROC supports all peacekeeping aspirations and is itself the peacekeeping force, which from the beginning of the conflict was above the fray, not identified himself with any political forces and purpose of its activity in Ukraine had only one speedy termination of the civil war," said the Patriarch.

Recalling that the Supreme Church Council met for the third day from the time of entry into force of the ceasefire, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church has expressed the hope that " by the grace of God, the blood will cease to be shed in Donetsk, Lugansk and other places."

He also said balanced position of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the head of which Metropolitan Onufry appealed to act upon the commandments and to stop the killing." I believe that the right words Vladyka Metropolitan Onufry and pastoral position of our Church with appreciation will be remembered by those who, after some time, gaining an objective perspective on unfolding events, will see the real truth and the Church's position, and in the words of its head, " said the Patriarch.

"I think that there is no more important issue today than the world in Ukraine ", - said Kirill.

sections: Politics