The statement about the separation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) from the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) was not announced by the head of the department for external church relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk.
Pope Francis appears to be at least partially blaming the West for the war in Ukraine. In an interview published this week, he suggested that Russia’s invasion may have been encouraged by the “barking of NATO at Russia’s door.” The Pontiff held back from accusing NATO or the U.S.