I would say that ROCOR could have broken communion with the MP (as kind of instructed by +Tikhon) and remained in communion with all other Orthodox Churches. However, she unfortunately began to associate herself with non-canonical, schismatic groups.
However, thankfully ROCOR was returned to full communion and has broke communion with the schismatic groups.
Coming from a member of a church recognized legitimate by nobody other than the Godless Communist regime at the time.
Not exactly, they were all in communion with the OCA, including those under the Islamic and Zionist regimes, then and now. The Church of Finland, when the Phanar questioned its friendly relations with the OCA, the Finnish Archbishop brought up the issue of rethinking the relationship between Helsinki and Constantinople, and the EP dropped the issue.
Also, from what I understand, ROCOR did not break communion with the OC Greeks, they broke communion with ROCOR. A canonical Church is one that follows the canons of the Church, not one that needs to call itself canonical because there is no other evidence to support the claim. I am sure that the Churches that Maximos and Athanasius railed against considered themselves canonical. History has shown otherwise, and these "schismatics" are now considered Saints. If the world is here another 1000 years and Christ does not come soon, I predict that history will shine far more kindly on ROCOR than the modernist babble that calls itself SCOBA.
I don't think we have to wait that long for the jury to come back.
I would say that there is nothing unfortunate about ROCOR's association with these other groups. What is somewhat unfortunate is that ROCOR's amends with the MP are viewed by some (who do not know better) as meaning that ROCOR somehow has changed its relationship with the other jurisdictions. I have not found this to be the case at all. While ROCOR did not deny the Grace of the other jurisdiction's Sacraments, its members were told that it was better not to attend some of these Churches as they were on a path that would eventually lead to separation from the Church. I have not heard any of this change. In fact, I heard a clergyman from one of the Slavic Churches ask why we should even take the EP seriously, and afford any authority to him at all to convene a council. Moscow is the third Rome, and Constantinople no longer exists.
Moscow could have made that argument in 1589. It didn't, and has to live with that outcome, and the submission it made to Constantinople at that time.
The EP is nothing but a small group allowed to exist by the grace of their Muslim masters (which can be said about Alexandria and Antioch as well).
Were the pagan Caesars more magnanimous in their grace?
The EP is the head of the Greek Church, the big boys at present outside of the Local Churches and even inside one (the OCA). Of course, that can change, and still rests on millions in the "New Lands." Alexandria has a whole continent to itself (and now has more members in Egypt alone than it has had since the Council of Constantinople II). Antioch's biggest problem has been the Vatican: much of its infrastructure has been in Lebanon, until recently a majority Christian country.
Shouldn't the "first among equals" of the Church at least come from an Orthodox country?
Like Rome under the Caesars?
So, while there may be high hopes for "unity" in the United States (a decidedly NON-Orthodox country), and by a few jurisdiction within the United States and their enslaved home churches (a minority of Orthodox Christians),
Not quite sure who you are alluding to.
I am not so sure that this 8th council is being looked at in quite the same manner by all Orthodox Christians. Or for that matter, even the majority. I don't think the Slavic Orthodox are going to go along with things any more in two years from now than they did at Florence or Brest, or put up with innovations any more than they did with Pat. Meletius and his antics.
I don't think we need an 8th (or 9th or 10th, depending on your numbering) Ecumenical Council, when a Pan Orthodox Council will suffice.