Patriarch of Kyiv and all Ukraine Filaret stated this at the European Parliament on Tuesday, an Ukrinform own correspondent in Brussels, Belgium, reports.
"It is not about the local war in eastern Ukraine. We are talking about the beginning of a possible Third World War. Do not think that we do not understand that these events taking place in eastern Ukraine today will not lead to World War III. It will happen if we do not stop an aggressor in the beginning of his actions," the Ukrainian patriarch addressed MEPs.
According to Filaret, if Russia is not stopped today, it will go further. "And then Europe, which now lives quietly, will have the same crisis as Donbas is experiencing today - a destruction," he said.
He urged the European partners to provide all their possible assistance to Ukraine in countering Russian aggression.
The Patriarch convinces the European Parliament to introduce a visa-free regime for Ukrainians.
"Ukrainians need a visa-free regime to visit European countries, to see how Europe lives, to understand the European Christian values, and to bring them back to the Ukrainian land," the Patriarch said.
He noted that on the way to a visa-free regime it is necessary to overcome all difficulties in order to achieve the goal.
"But our goal is not a visa-free regime, our goal is to bring the European democratic way of life to the Ukrainian land so that Ukraine can become a full member of Europe," the Orthodox Patriarch said.
According to Patriarch Filaret, when Ukraine becomes a member of the European Union, and as a result the peace will reign, because Russia will not be able to oppose the EU and democracy taking into account those circumstances.