MOSCOW, November 1. /TASS/. Ukrainian politicians will fail in their attempts to break the centuries-long spiritual bonds binding the Russian and Ukrainian nations. In addition, their plans to destroy their Christian unity will collapse, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill said in the opening remarks to the 22nd meeting of the World Russian People’s Council on Thursday.

"Those who seek to compel these peoples to forget their kinship, and rupture centuries-long ties, will only achieve the opposite," the patriarch stressed. He recalled the fate of the persecutors of Christians in the Roman Empire, who had failed to destroy Christianity that eventually became the cornerstone of European culture. "Politicians will have to admit their historical defeat," Patriarch Kirill emphasized.

The international public organization and forum, the World Russian People’s Council, marked its 25th anniversary this year. Throughout these years, it has played a major role for Russian civil society. It brings together leaders of all traditional religions, public activists, cultural figures, scholars, representatives of all branches of government, as well as religious officials. The council led by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, was granted a special consultative status at the United Nations in 2005.

President Vladimir Putin attended the jubilee session. The last time the nation’s leader attended the World Russian People’s Council was back in 2001.