Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church head warns Europeans: Putin won't stop at Ukraine, this is also your war
His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), speaking in Berlin, emphasised that Russia's war against Ukraine is a war against Germany, all of Europe, and the entire democratic order.
Source: His Beatitude Sviatoslav during the annual Saint Michael's Reception, as reported by UGCC press office
Details: The UGCC’s head noted that Ukraine is approaching the thousandth day of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine: "A thousand days of air raid warnings across the country. A thousand days of bloody slaughter, terror, and deaths. Ten years have passed since the first act of aggression – the annexation of Crimea and the start of the war in Donbas."
He said this war has turned into a marathon, where Ukrainians must keep running at sprinting speed to avoid being defeated in this deadly race. "I urge you to run with us – quickly, decisively, and fearlessly," His Beatitude Sviatoslav called out to German politicians and clergy.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav noted that he came to Berlin not to complain or lament. "My desire is to bring hope, encourage you, and share with you the source of our strength and resilience. We have a task that we must accomplish together because the genocides of Hitler and Stalin cannot be repeated," he stressed.
He added that there can be no doubt about Russia's genocidal intentions: "Putin has expressed them unequivocally and will stop at nothing until he is stopped. Putin sent a killer to Germany. For years, he denied this until last month when he welcomed Vadim Krasikov, the convicted murderer, as a hero, a loyal FSB agent, and a killer."
In his speech, His Beatitude Sviatoslav argued that "the pandemic of war has engulfed all Russian society. The collective Putin is millions of accomplices. The ideology of evil does not hide that its goal is the destruction of Ukrainians and the final 'solution to the Ukrainian question.' "
The UGCC’s head emphasised that apart from Ukraine, Putin has other goals: "Not the least of Putin's aims is to destabilise Germany and all of Europe by any means possible, including demographic and ethnic cleansing. His invasion of Ukraine forced 8 million refugees to flee to the European Union. He intends to depopulate our country further through a broader, effectively total occupation, leading to the departure of at least 10 million more refugees to the EU. One can only imagine how this will affect Germany. Ukrainians are paying a high price to prevent this."
His Beatitude Sviatoslav highlighted that neither world democracies nor the Church should support peace that accepts aggression as a successful method of seizing another country's sovereign territory. "This would be a fatal blow to global security, as it would encourage all other potential aggressors."
Speaking about a peace agreement, he noted that Ukraine needs and deeply desires a real, just, and sustainable peace, not a fleeting, illusory truce.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav called for help for people in Germany and other Western countries to overcome stereotypes and address fears, illusions, and disappointments:
Quote: "I urge you to explain to them that this is not just a Ukrainian war – it is a war that determines the future of democracy in Ukraine, Europe, and the entire world. The war against Ukraine is a war against Germany, all of Europe, and the entire democratic order. Unfortunately, this is also your war. Ukraine needs your support not only for its own sake but also for yours."
Note: The Saint Michael's Reception gathers around 500 guests annually in Berlin, including media representatives, intellectuals, and politicians. This year’s reception was also attended by the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Olaf Scholz, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Svenja Schulze, and Federal Minister of the Interior of Germany Nancy Faeser.
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