Live Blog: Crisis In Ukraine (Archive)

"The core of our position is that the church ought to be above the confrontation. It must retain its peacemaking potential even when everyone believes that in principle no peacemaking potential exists at all. Today's events in Ukraine show that our church is the only one upholding such point of view -- all the rest ended up being taken over by these events."

"It was a good sign that the Swedish inspector [from the OSCE] was released. Unfortunately in the last days, we did not hear encouraging signs from Slovyansk, that the people there would be willing to go fast in terms of releasing the inspectors. And this is again why I think it is so important that all OSCE countries are united in terms of their call for immediate release of the inspectors, and that clearly relates to the need for the Russian Federation to take a clear stance on the subject. That would be helpful."

"It is very clear that what is happening would not be happening without Russian involvement. That doesn't mean that everything you see is Russian involvement but what is happening would not be happening without Russian involvement."

"There is no new news at this point. Obviously we remain deeply concerned about the international group of hostages who were invited by the government of Ukraine formally under the Vienna document, as well as their Ukrainian escorts who remain among those who are being held hostage in the dungeon of Slovyansk, and there are efforts ongoing on the ground to get them freed, and we are certainly deeply concerned about the situation and hope that they will be free very, very soon."