A meeting with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State was held within Plenary Assembly of the Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe. In his speech the cardinal emphasized that peace enforcement in the contemporary world is the most essential diplomatic function of the Holy See.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav thanked Secretary of State for his “constant diplomatic efforts to establish peace in Europe” and outlined that “this is the eighth year Ukraine has been suffering from Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine, and the war in Ukraine is the war in Europe”. The Head of the Church asked the sovereign of the Holy See to support Ukraine in its pursuit to restore equitable peace further on.
While discussing a relevant ecumenical situation in Europe, His Beatitude Sviatoslav stressed out the immense importance of ecumenism to Ukraine. “Today Ukraine is a place of confrontation of two patriarchates. It is vital for both sides of this confrontation to acknowledge Catholic Church as their interlocutor. Hence, we need to put in all our efforts to tackle a crisis in the world of orthodoxy”.
The Head of the UGCC recalled that during the recent Meeting of Oriental Catholic Bishops of Europe held in Budapest it was declared that bishops are ready to establish Missio Ecumenica of Oriental Catholic Churches of Europe based on ecumenical map of CCEE signed in Strasbourg.