His Holiness Patriarch Alexis II, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, told journalists on 5 October 2001 that he would “with pleasure” travel to Ukraine to meet those who maintain union with the Mother Church. The patriarch is sure that such a trip must happen, “though the opposition and schisms which have their place in Ukraine do not always favor a visit of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.”
Alexis said that the president of Ukraine has more than once invited him to visit Ukraine, though the patriarch mentioned that winter is not the best time for this. He also expressed his hope that “the awareness of the need for peace-making will come and help to bring about reconciliation in Ukrainian church life.” Information for this article was taken from the Russian-language site at www.pravoslavie.ru.