Poroshenko about church grabs: I will be the first to stand in defense

Ukrainians should avoid calls provoking a grab of church buildings of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate, as Russia expects exactly this. This was stated by Petro Poroshenko, speaking during Svoboda Slova broadcast on the ICTV channel, according to "DS".

“It is the people who should unite, for if a drop of blood is spilled, this is exactly what Putin awaits, therefore we should not allow it. On the eve of October 14, I met with all the political forces who organized the procession and said that if someone attempts to grab a church I will be the first to stand up for it, and I will be the first to defend it. A clash is what Russia now wants. We, the wise Ukrainian people, are sure to prevent this. We need the unity of the Churches,” Poroshenko said.

The Head of State is confident that all the hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyiv Patriarchate, all the hierarchs of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church and part of the hierarchs from the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate will come to the newly established Ukrainian Local Orthodox Church.

“And those who remain outside the process will still come, but later, because parishioners and people will help make that choice,” added Poroshenko.