The Archbishop of Canterbury met with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia via video call yesterday.

The Archbishop thanked the Patriarch for the meeting and the opportunity to discuss the urgent need for peace in Ukraine.

During the conversation, Archbishop Justin Welby (pictured with Patriarch Kirill on a previous visit to London) expressed his grave concern about the war in Ukraine which he said is a great tragedy. He stressed the need for an end to the violence in Ukraine and said that war and violence is never an answer. The Archbishop said we need to find ways to live as neighbours in Europe without the aggression and human suffering which have been too much part of our life and history.

The Archbishop said that as churches we must be united in following the great call of Jesus Christ on his disciples to be peacemakers, to do what we can to enable politicians to do their work of establishing the freedom and rights of all people in Ukraine. He appealed to His Holiness to join him in speaking for peace in public, and spoke of the need for a ceasefire.

The Archbishop said that he and the Church of England would do whatever it could to support refugees.

Both leaders emphasised the need to achieve a lasting peace based on justice as soon as possible and agreed to continued communication.