Ukrainian Major Archbishop appeals for solidarity and warns the danger of civil war is not over

Vatican Radio ^ | 2014-02-25 | His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk

[annalex]

(Vatican Radio) The Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has made a heartfelt appeal to European Nations for solidarity and support for the people of Ukraine.

Speaking at a press conference held on Tuesday at Vatican Radio, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk denounced the fact that the cry of the Maidan protesters went largely unheard and ignored until the explosion of violence last week that left some 100 people dead, and thousands more injured.

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He said that Ukraine is now living through a dark time because nobody knows how the situation is going to evolve…

But he also said it also a moment of great hope because Maidan has become a yeast that has caused the whole Ukrainian population to ferment.

After recounting at length and in detail the chain of events set off on November 29^th when the President refused to sign a pact with the EU, Archbishop Shevchuk made an appeal for solidarity.

“I would like to ask Europeans to wake up because what is happening in Ukraine, sooner or later, will touch all of you. Because Ukraine is part of Europe. And if people continue to pretend that nothing is happening, not only will things worsen in Eastern Europe, but this will cause great lack of faith in European values in the Western nations”.

“I would also like to ask for a review of the relations with Ukraine”. Achbishop Shevchuk says the problem of visas required by Ukrainian students and the great difficulties they have to face when they want to enter other European countries has already been considered and should again come under examination.

“We want to build Europe in Ukraine, and only the students can do that” – so he says – “Europe does not have to defend itself from Ukrainian youth”.

Shevchuk also appealed for solidarity and help for the many thousands who have been wounded during the Maidan uprising.

He says many countries including Poland, Lithuania, the Czech republic and Slovakia have already offered to receive the wounded. And he makes an appeal to Italy to do the same.

Shevchuk expresses his gratitude to Germany, Poland and France for having sent their foreign ministers to Ukraine to act as peace mediators in the most difficult moment of the standoff. But he warns “this kind of solidarity must continue because the danger that one of our neighbours will provoke a civil war has not blown over”.

[annalex]

His Grace understands that the Maidan is, first of all, a cultural choice for European values.

[annalex]

If you want to be on this right wing, monarchy, paleolibertarianism and nationalism ping list, but are not, please let me know. If you are on it and want to be off, also let me know. This ping list is not used for Catholic-Protestant debates.

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For those who don't know, Ukraine is Predominantly Eastern Orthodox (of three different Patriarchates) and Catholic (mostly, Greek Catholic)

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[Bigg Red]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is the “Maidan”. I realize that it is referring to the group demonstrating against the government in Ukraine, but what does the word actually mean?

I did a search, but I was not able to find a definition that fits this context.

[annalex]

It means “city square”, especially “market square”. In the context, it refers to the central square of Kiev, but of course it has taken on a larger meaning.

Ukrainian word of Persian origin. It is pronounced “my Dan”.

[Bigg Red]

OK, thanks.

[bigheadfred]

Not much chance the Russians are going to give up “the bread basket of Europe”.

[annalex]

Right-bank (of the Dnieper) Ukraine is gone and not to come back.

The Crimea, Odessa, Donbass might improvise on their own. Putin is not going to risk starting world War II over it. The best he can do is to foment unrest there, get to a referendum, then muscle his way into becoming a guarantor of Eastern Ukraine sovereignty. That is very unlikely to pan out for him, but it may.

Given the mentalities involved, there may be a Cold War II, with RF isolated politically from the West and seeking an economic alliance with China.

But this far Putin’s game was to be a fair cultural alternative to the West, not the USSR redux. He’ll back out.

[bigheadfred]

I get it. Putin has other fish to fry. Waiter! Chechnya Please!