 As a result, Hrekov became quite popular among the Ukrainians of eastern Galicia.Following a conflict with the leadership of the West Ukrainian National Republic (it is rumored that the head of the West Ukrainian National Republic was pressured by Petliura to let Hrekov go, because Petliura feared Hrekov's popularity and disliked his opposition to Petliura's socialist policies ) Hrekov and his family left for Romania in July 1919.In 1920 he moved to Vienna.