Ukrainian Catholic leader meets with Canadian PM, decries Russian actions
The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the largest Eastern Catholic church in full communion with the Holy See, condemned recent Russian actions during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper."There was no tension between Ukrainians and Russians in Ukraine until the Russian government annexed Crimea," Major Archbishop Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk told the Canadian leader during a recent meeting.
"Time and again, the government of the Russian Federation has shown its unwillingness to abide by international agreements," he continued. "Once a foreign power begins to redraw international borders, people suffer."
"The only way to bolster peace among peoples is to enable them to live together in multi-ethnic states-- not divide them through foreign intervention," he added. "What would happen to Europe-- not to mention other continents-- if countries started redrawing borders on the basis of ethno-national background? It's that approach that led to World War II."
Prime Minister Harper's office released a photograph of the meeting but did not publish the Canadian leader's remarks.
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