Ukrainian president to meet with Russian patriarch, says church spokesman

Head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill will meet with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych during his upcoming visit to Ukraine, head of the information department of the Russian Orthodox Church Vladimir Legoyda has said.

"We expect that this meeting will take place," Legoyda said during a video linkup between Kyiv and Moscow dedicated to the patriarch's visit to Ukraine.

According to him, meetings at such a level always address relations between the church and public, the church and the government, and the condition of church life.

Earlier, Director for Affairs of Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), Head of the commission for official visit by Patriarch Kirill to Ukraine Archpriest of Bila Tserkva and Bohuslav Mytrophan said that Patriarch Kirill will not meet Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, as according to the president's schedule, he will be absent from the capital at that time.

He also said that the patriarch would meet with Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov.

At the same time, deputy head of the presidential administration, Hanna Herman, told the Ukrainska Pravda Web site that a meeting between Patriarch Kirill and Yanukovych has been scheduled. "The president will make a break [in his vacation], and will come [to Kyiv] but I cannot name the exact dates. I know for certain that he will meet with the patriarch, and will have some other meetings later," Herman said.

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church is to visit Odesa on July 20-23, Dnipropetrovsk on July 24, and Kyiv on July 25. Patriarch Kirill's visit to Ukraine comes to an end on July 28.

http://www.interfax.com.ua