President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine has warned members of radical organizations in Ukraine against any attempts to seize churches belonging to the former Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP).

"I would like to warn certain radicals who will be going tomorrow to snatch churches [of the UOC MP]: you cannot do that. You will be snatching the churches not from Moscow but from [parochial] communities who will come to defend them. And you need to work with the communities to persuade them and explain to them that after the establishment of the canonical Ukrainian Church there is no need to wander somewhere, come to us," Poroshenko said at a meeting with professors, lecturers, and students of local universities and colleges in Ternopil on December 18.

He said such attempts will play directly into Russia's hands "because the Kremlin wants us to start a religious war or, at least, shed blood during our unification process."

The president said the process of unification of the churches is a long one but it cannot be reversed. Poroshenko said a great number of priests and laymen have already refused following orders by the Kremlin and are ready to join the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.