Patriarch Kirill Pleased with Situation in Ukraine Since Presidential Election

MOSCOW – Head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill has said he expects to see the positive changes that have occurred in Ukraine with his own eyes during his forthcoming visit to Ukraine, reports Interfax-Ukraine.

"I suppose that the quality of life of Ukrainian society has obviously changed, but perhaps this is just an outside point of view. So, I would like to see and feel for myself the current situation in Ukraine," Patriarch Kirill told Ukrainian TV channels during an interview on his forthcoming visit on July 20-28.

He said the development of Ukraine over the last months had been rather positive. Patriarch Kirill also added that "it is already obvious" that "the political situation in Ukraine is stabilizing, its economic rates – equalizing, and relations with the world and close neighbors are being developed, in particular with Russia, Europe, and the United States."

"I also would like to say that Ukraine is very close to my heart for many reasons. But the main reason is the power of faith, the power of religious feeling, and the purity and naturalness of this feeling. Let God preserve this faith and wonderful spiritual tradition of the Kyivan Rus," Patriarch Kirill added.