The embassy of the Holy See in Ukraine has denied the statement by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stating that "the Vatican respects the Ukrainian people's decision to establish a unified local church."

"The Apostolic Nunciature in Ukraine wishes to once again state the position of the Holy See in the question of the creation of one Local Ukrainian Orthodox Church, namely that this is an internal question of the Orthodox Church, on which the Holy See never did and has no intention whatsoever of expressing any evaluation, in any venue," the nunciature said in a statement.

According to earlier reports, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavel Klimkin met with Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican's Secretary for Relations with States, on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly. After the meeting, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said on its website that the parties had exchanged views on the process of granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and that the Holy See had expressed support.

Ватикан опроверг заявление МИД Украины о поддержке ее автокефалии