Pope, patriarch seek dialogue, peace in Ukraine
ISTANBUL (AP) -- Pope Francis and the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians have called for peace in Ukraine and for all sides to pursue dialogue based on international law to resolve the conflict.
Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I issued a joint declaration Sunday at the end of a lengthy liturgy to mark the feast of St. Andrew, an important feast in the Orthodox Church. The celebration was the main reason for Francis' three-day visit to Turkey.
In the statement, the two Christian leaders said they were praying for peace in Ukraine "while we call upon all parties involved to pursue the path of dialogue and of respect for international law in order to bring an end to the conflict and allow all Ukrainians to live in harmony."
From AFP:
Ukraine authorities on Saturday banned flights to the rebel-held east of the former Soviet republic, the head of Ukraine's aviation authority said.
"Flights are banned for Russian companies to Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk for safety reasons," Denis Antoniuk told AFP without elaborating.
The two cities serve the rebel strongholds of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.
The open-ended ban also affects a Ukrainian airline, Dniproavia, Antoniuk said.
The Luhansk airport has been gutted by fighting between separatists and Kiev forces, while combat continues over the Donetsk facility.