Pope Francis “makes an important contribution to the creation of peace and justice among people,” Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, told Archbishop Giovanni D’Agnello, the Apostolic Nuncio to Russia, on March 3.

“It is very important that Christian churches, including our churches, voluntarily or involuntarily, sometimes without any will, would not become participants in those complex, contradictory tendencies that are present on the world agenda today,” added Patriarch Kirill, who has been urged by other religious leaders to take a stand against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “We are trying to take a peacemaking position, including in the face of existing conflicts.”