Volker: US doesn't participate in resolution of religious issues in Ukraine
US State Department Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker
The United States is a secular power that is based on the principle of religious freedom and does not interfere in the resolution of religious issues in Ukraine, said Kurt Volker in an interview with "Ekho Moskvy" ("Echo of Moscow"), commenting on the topic of granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian Church.
According to the American diplomat, the issue of the Church's autocephaly in Ukraine is viewed as political only by the Russian side, since "Russia does not want Ukraine to have an independent Church", and added that such issues should be resolved by religious authorities, in particular, the Ecumenical Patriarch and his Synod.
At the same time, Volker stressed that the US is concerned about the situation when freedom of religion is restricted by some external force and they will always support the faithful: "We believe that all people have the right to choose their religion, find their path to God, and we protect this principle within our own country."
"In this case, a situation has arisen where many believers, many citizens of Ukraine believe that they are being denied their own interpretation of their religion, in affirming their own path to God and self-realization as believers," the US Special Representative said. "And we support the right of every person to have their own beliefs and their own respect for these beliefs."
As reported by the UOC, US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said on September 25 that the United States supports the adherents of autocephaly in Ukraine.
Read also
No language law violations found at Holosiiv Monastery school
The inspection found no evidence of Russian-language instruction in the school that operated on the grounds of the Holosiiv Monastery.
Czech authorities intend to seize three largest churches from Church, source
In Prague, preparations have begun to terminate lease agreements concluded with Orthodox church communities.
Rome's basilica bust re-attributed to Michelangelo
A marble bust that has stood for centuries in one of Rome’s basilicas has been re-attributed to Michelangelo after nearly 200 years in obscurity.
In USA, the number of "non-believers" reaches historic high
The share of Americans without religious affiliation has reached a record high, with less than half the population considering faith important.
U.S. defense secretary: War with Iran is fight against “religious fanatics”
The U.S. defense secretary described the conflict with Iran as a struggle against religious fanatics and urged troops to seek a connection with Almighty God.