The hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan of Chernivtsi and Bukovina Meletiy, in an interview with the French website Orthodoxie, spoke about the new charter of the UOC, which is de facto autocephalous.

“Relations between our Church and other Local Churches are fraternal, warm and benevolent.

Basing on personal experience of communicating with them, I can say that if we raise the issue of the autocephalous status of the UOC, then at least 10 Local Churches would be ready to recognize us immediately. The problem will arise only for those Churches that have already committed themselves to the recognition of another, non-canonical Ukrainian structure.

The same Local Churches that have not sinned against Orthodox ecclesiology by this recognition are ready to recognize our Church in a new status, when the question of such is raised,” the UOC hierarch explained.