Russian patriarch’s Christmas truce a “cynical trap” – Ukraine’s presidential adviser

The recent proposal of Russian patriarch Kirill on a “Christmas truce” between Ukraine and Russia in their ongoing conflict for January 6-7 is a “cynical trap”, Mykhailo Podolyak, the Ukrainian presidential adviser tweeted on Thursday. 

He stressed the Russian Orthodox Church did not represent an authority for global Orthodoxy and acted only as a ‘war propagandist’.

Podolyak also said the work of the Russian Orthodox Church amounted to “calls for the genocide of Ukrainians”, and Kirill’s proposal was “an element of propaganda”.

The leaders of Ukraine and its religious denominations have not yet commented on Kirill’s offer. 

The Russian top cleric’s call for a truce has been published on the website of the Moscow Patriarchate.