TEXAS GOSPEL STAFF

Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church and an ally of President Vladimir Putin, has spoken out against recent nuclear rhetoric directed at the West. During a congress in Moscow on Thursday, Kirill criticized discussions about nuclear weapons and apocalyptic scenarios, calling them unproductive and spiritually harmful. While he failed to name specific individuals about whom he was speaking, his remarks highlighted concerns over the tone of the ongoing geopolitical discourse.

Kirill’s comments come as some Russian officials have escalated their threats involving nuclear weapons. This increase in aggressive language followed Washington’s decision to permit Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied long-range missiles against targets within Russia’s recognized borders where attacks against Ukraine are launched. In response to the changing dynamics of the conflict, President Putin recently approved a military policy that expands conditions for the potential use of nuclear weapons.

At the Moscow event, Kirill emphasized the importance of moral action in the face of current events, stating that Christians should actively oppose wrongdoing. He expressed hope for future reconciliation between Russia and Ukraine, despite the “ongoing war.”

The war began on February 24, 2022 when Putin ordered his troops to invade Ukraine.