. ▁Before ▁this , ▁according ▁to ▁Fil aret ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁the ▁U A OC ▁and ▁the ▁U OC - K P ▁already ▁had ▁had ▁four ▁attempts ▁at ▁negoti ations ▁in ▁the ▁previous ▁ 2 0 ▁years , ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁neg ot iation ▁being ▁the ▁fifth . ▁On ▁ 1 4 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁Mak ari y ▁declared ▁in ▁an ▁interview ▁to ▁the ▁channel ▁NEW SON E ▁that ▁the ▁U OC - K P ▁and ▁the ▁U A OC ▁could ▁have ▁been ▁un ited ▁" year s ▁ago " ▁and ▁bl amed ▁the ▁U OC - K P ▁for ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁this ▁union ▁never ▁happened . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁decision ▁of ▁the ▁E c umen ical ▁Patri arch ate ▁▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁ 1 1 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁decision ▁of ▁the ▁E c umen ical ▁Patri arch ate ▁to ▁lift ▁the ▁ex communic aton ▁of ▁the ▁U OC - K P ▁and ▁the ▁U A OC ▁and ▁to ▁grant ▁auto ce ph aly ▁to ▁Ukraine , ▁prepar ations ▁began ▁for ▁a ▁un ification ▁council ▁to ▁inst itute ▁an ▁auto ce phal ous ▁Ukrain ian ▁church ▁that ▁would ▁un ite ▁the ▁U OC - K P , ▁the ▁U A OC , ▁and ▁those ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁U OC - MP ▁who ▁were ▁willing ▁to ▁join . ▁The ▁date ▁of ▁this ▁un ification ▁council ▁was ▁not ▁set ▁at ▁that ▁stage ▁and ,