Dumenko tells British delegation about price of Ukraine’s “European choice”

Dumenko received a British delegation at his residence. Photo: OCU press service

OCU head Epifaniy Dumenko told representatives of the United Kingdom that the Ukrainian people are paying an “extremely high price” for their “European choice.” This was reported by the OCU press service.

At his residence, Dumenko received a British delegation led by David Smith, Special Envoy for Religion or Belief. During the meeting, he familiarized the foreign diplomats with the history of St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery and also spoke about the destruction of 740 religious buildings.

The OCU leader paid particular attention to the recent strike on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, which, in his view, “once again demonstrated the aggressor’s true attitude toward Christian values.”

“We seek to live in a free, democratic, and European Ukraine. This is not only our civilizational choice – historically, we have been and remain part of the European community. It is for this that the Ukrainian people are paying an extremely high price today,” the OCU head said.

The parties also discussed the situation of displaced persons and conditions in the territories not controlled by Ukraine, where, according to Dumenko, religious communities are being persecuted and clergy are being killed. In response, David Smith thanked the OCU head for an “open and substantive dialogue.”

As the UOJ reported, Dumenko predicted the collapse of the Russian Federation and recognition of the OCU by the Russian Church.

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