Let's address Bishop Hilarion's editorial first. I know Bishop Hilarion personally. He used to serve at Saint Catherine's Church in Moscow, which is the OCA Representation Church. He was always very pastoral and when I asked him about Ecumenism he said that the Russian Church dialogue with other Christians but did not participate in joint ceremonies. The quote I found interesting in his editorial was as follows:
"The proposed alliance may enable European Catholics and Orthodox to fight together against secularism, liberalism and relativism prevailing in modern Europe, may help them to speak with one voice in addressing secular society, may provide for them an ample space where they will discuss modern issues and come to common positions. The social and ethical teachings of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches are extremely close, in many cases practically identical."
While I, as an Orthodox Christian, have serious theological and spiritual differences with the Latin Church, I must say that we do share many moral and social values. I do not see a problem with Orthodox and Latin Bishops or Theologians issuing joint statements on issues like poverty, same sex marriage, abortion, stem cell research, etc. or working together in charitable causes.
As regards Europe, Western Europe is lost. The Church must be what it is in it's fullness. The Churches of England, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, as well as the Evangelical Lutheran Churches of Germany and Austria took the liberal route to attract young people and those countries have the highest percentage of agnostics and atheists. Western Europe has entered their post-Christian era. Individuals will come to Orthodoxy there but any idea of resurrecting a Christian society there is too idealistic. The sad thing is that pushing Christ out of their lives has weakened them and any complaints made about Christian morality will pale in comparison when Islam dominates them.
As for the Uniate question... This issue has been a sore spot for the Orthodox Church since the Union of Brest. The problem I see with Ukrainian Catholicism as well as the Kiev Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Church is that their focus is on Ukraine and the Ukrainian language, rather than the Gospel. These three groups may one day unite to create the ultimate Ukrainian Nationalist Religion. The Ecumenical Patriarchate has unwisely tried to meddle in this affair, but fortunately other Autocephalous Orthodox Churches have come forward proclaiming that the only Kievan Hierarch they recognize is Metropolitan Vladimir of the Moscow Patriarchate.
Uniatism is a wake up call to the Orthodox of Rome's objective in their dialogue with the Orthodox. It really tickles me when Uniates still claim that they worship just like the Orthodox. Just visit any Byzantine Catholic Church in America and you will see something so watered down that you may then think that a typical Liturgy in a GOArch parish is austere.
