Leader of the Kyiv diocese, a member of the Synod and Honorary Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine Filaret (born Denysenko) has said he believes that the newly established autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine will be recognized as a patriarchate in the future.

"Thus far we have been recognized as a metropolitan archdiocese, we agree with this. Even though we have been a patriarchate for 25 years, now we have agreed that we are a metropolitan archdiocese, but a metropolitan archdiocese for the entire Orthodox Christian world… Why do we aspire to become a patriarchate? Because we are a large Church. We have a hope that with the course of time the Ukrainian Church will be recognized as a patriarchate as well. We believed that we would get an autocephalous status. Now we believe that we will be recognized as a patriarchate. This is the future but it will definitely come," Honorary Patriarch Filaret said an interview with the Pryamiy TV channel.

Also, he said that the fact that some local churches have not yet recognized the Ukrainian autocephaly is a temporary issue. "With the Ukrainian Church receiving the Tomos of Autocephaly, a significant part, the major part, of Orthodox churches will establish communication with the Ukrainian Church. Part of local churches, first of all, the Russian Church, the Orthodox Church of Antioch, and some other Slavonic Churches will not be in contact with the Ukrainian Church, but this is a temporary issue. With the course of time, all of them will come into a prayer union with both the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Ukrainian Church. Including the Russian one because there is no other way. Since we are Orthodox Christians, then we must stay united," the former head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate, Honorary Patriarch Filaret said.