We are hopeful that Armenia and Azerbaijan will find the strength to end hostility, says Patriarch Kirill

The Russian Orthodox Church, Moscow and all Russia, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill has addressed Yerevan and Baku, calling for dialogue and not succumbing to provocations, highlighting that any escalation of conflict is felt as personal pain.

Patriarch Kirill's statement was published on the official website of the Russian Orthodox Church.

"The Russian Orthodox Church calls for dialogue from both sides of the conflict. The religious communities in Armenia and Azerbaijan have experience in conducting such dialogue, which is very much needed today. I urge you not to yield to the provocations of those forces that benefit from escalating tensions in the Caucasus," the statement reads.

Kirill also emphasized that the Orthodox Church has been conducting peacemaking activities for years regarding the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which allows him to appeal to the religious leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

According to the Patriarch, a new war in the Caucasus would involve various terrorists and extremists, depriving the region of peace and stability for a long time.

"Dear brothers, I ask you to preserve the achievements we have made during our fraternal meetings," the Patriarch noted, adding that the Russian Orthodox Church fervently prays for the prompt resolution of the conflict.

"We are hopeful that the Armenian and Azerbaijani peoples, whom we consider brotherly, will find the strength and wisdom within themselves to end hostility, reduce the level of distrust, and reach mutually acceptable solutions on the existing issues," Kirill's statement concludes.