The Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatseniuk met with Papal Legate Cardinal Christoph Schonborn to mark the 25th anniversary of the liberation of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church.

The meeting was attended by the Head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, and the Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine, His Excellency Archbishop Thomas Edward Gullickson.

Yatseniuk praised Cardinal Christoph Schonborn for visiting Ukraine.

"We have always felt that the Catholic Church is a buttress in our struggle for independence, territorial integrity, freedom, and our rights. I appreciate your efforts in supporting Ukraine", said the premier.

Yatseniyuk then recalled his own meeting with Pope Francis in April earlier this year.

The Prime Minister went on to stress that Ukraine faced serious challenges: "But with God's help and the help of the Church we shall overcome them".

Yatseniuk noted that freedom of worship is one of Ukraine’s fundamental values, and that, in his opinion, the Church and other religious organizations in Ukraine "have found a way to co-exist and respect each other."

"We have a real unity, despite the fact that some people try to use religion as a tool of political influence", Yatseniuk said.