The March 16 conversation between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, “included a detailed discussion of the situation on Ukrainian soil,” according to the Moscow Patriarchate. “Special attention was paid to the humanitarian aspects of the current crisis and the actions of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church for overcoming its consequences.”

The Patriarchate’s use of the phrase “Ukrainian soil” to refer to Ukraine may signify a backtracking from Patriarch Kirill’s February 27 characterization of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus as “Russian land.” Hundreds of Eastern Orthodox scholars have criticized Patriarch Kirill for that and similar comments.

“The parties underscored the utmost importance of the ongoing negotiation process, expressing the hope that a just peace would be achieved as soon as possible,” the Patriarchate added in its statement on the conversation. “Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill also discussed a number of current issues of bilateral interaction.”

In its coverage of the conversation, Vatican News, in contrast, included several quotations from Pope Francis, adding, “The Pope said, in agreement with the Patriarch, that ‘the Church must not use the language of politics, but the language of Jesus.’”