[history_matters]

He may well be saying that, but they will need to change their laws to make it clear that all but the Russian Orthodox Church will be suppressed.

Perhaps if the Russian Orthodox Church dissolved their dioceses in Catholic nations and recalled their clergy, one could understand a Russian Orthodox request of the Catholic Church to do the same in Orthodox lands.

[MarMema]

I didn't notice the Russian Orthodox patriarch visiting Catholic countries this last year and speaking of re-uniting. It seems to me that the pope is the one pushing that agenda.
Once the soviet union fell, protestants from this country were like vultures descending on Russia. Is this what the catholics want to do as well?
What is honorable or noble about trying to lure people from another faith to your own?
If the pope truly wanted to be respected by Russia, perhaps he should have spoken up about the Orthodox church in Lubov, Ukraine which was scheduled to be leveled in order for the pope to make *one* public appearance in that town. It wouldn't hurt for him to return the icon he has which belongs to the Russian church and which he has kept and refused to return, like a child - because he is awaiting an invitation to Russia.
And finally he could choose traveling companions to Ukraine other than Ziggy Brezinski, a known Russophobe.
I don't see that Russia owes anything to the pope or to any members of his church. It is their right to allow into their country those whom they wish to allow to enter.