Ecclesial negotiations

Read the main article on faith and identity in Ukraine.

Behind the historic meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill in February were years of complex negotiation between the Vatican and the Russian Orthodox Church, especially on the situation in Ukraine.

Stating that they are “not competitors but brothers,” the two leaders expressed their hope of overcoming historic divisions between Orthodox and Catholic, and they found a common voice on religious liberty, on concern for Christians persecuted in the Middle East, and on the need to defend traditional Christian teachings. But geopolitical concerns loomed large for both leaders, and their hard bargaining surfaced clearly in three paragraphs on Ukraine included in their joint declaration.