Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, an open supporter of Russia’s war against Ukraine, announced a proposal for a “Christmas truce.”
Newsroom (05/01/2023 4:57 PM, Gaudium Press) — The official website of the Russian Orthodox Church today published a statement by the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church: “I, Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, call on all parties involved in the deadly conflict for a ceasefire and establish a Christmas truce from 12:00 on January 6 to 24:00 on January 7, so that the Orthodox can attend celebrations on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.”
Russia’s president also made a statement posted on the Kremlin.ru website: “Based on the fact that a large number of citizens who profess the Orthodox religion live in the combat areas, we ask the Ukrainian side to declare a ceasefire and give them the opportunity to attend religious celebrations on Christmas Eve, as well as on the day of Christ’s nativity.”
However, the United States does not seem to trust the Christmas truce project announced by Russia. The head of the press service at the U.S. State Department, Ned Price, stated, “unfortunately, they (Russians) have given us no reason to believe anything they offer.” Furthermore, Price added that the United States fears Russia could use “any pause” in hostilities to regroup and rest its troops.
Ukraine will also not negotiate with the Russian side over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposed Christmas truce. The announcement was made by the head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, Oleksiy Danilov, on Channel 24.
Earlier, Mikhail Podolyak, advisor to the head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, noted that this is “a cynical trap and an element of propaganda,” and emphasized that a “temporary truce” can only begin after Russia withdraws its troops from Ukrainian territories.
In the past weeks, after a similarly proposed “Christmas truce,” Russian troops shelled the town of Berislav in the Kherson region, hitting a residential building, resulting on the dead of a 12-year-old boy and his parents.
Compiled by Gustavo Kralj
