“Romanian Church’s decision on Ukraine threatens Orthodox unity,” - Bishop of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine

The statement of the bishop was released on March 3 by the press service of the OCU Eparchy of Mukachevo and Carpathians:

"The adoption of such a disrespectful and provocative decision against Ukraine and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, especially in the conditions of the Russian-Ukrainian war of 2014-2024, indicates a significant influence on the political course of Romania (Romanian authorities) and the hierarchy of the Romanian Orthodox Church by the structures of the Russian FSB and the Moscow Patriarchate, which destabilize the unity of the countries of the European Union, NATO members, and World Orthodoxy by all means.

With the adoption of this decision, it becomes clear why the Romanian Orthodox Church avoided and avoids official recognition of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine, and also indicates that at the level of the Romanian political establishment and the Romanian church hierarchy, Russian narratives prevail that Ukraine may lose the war and continue to be divided. Unfortunately, this negative fact currently indicates Ukraine's loss on the international information front to Russian Putin-Patriarch propaganda and the weakness of Ukrainian diplomacy and intelligence services in defending Ukrainian national interests and, in particular, religious security at the international level.

Ukraine and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine should not succumb to this Romanian-church provocation, the directors of which sit in the influential offices of hostile Moscow, but at the same time, they should take urgent and effective measures to protect Ukraine's national and religious security."