US Congress passes bill to support religious freedom in Ukraine

Head of the OCU Epiphany Dumenko and US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo. Photo: pomisna.info

The House Foreign Affairs Committee passed a bill to support religious freedom in Ukraine, reports “Voice of America” on March 5, 2020.

In the event of final approval by the US Parliament, the law will require the US President to take into account violations of religious freedom in the Donbass and the Crimea in order to make decisions on the definition of Russia as a country of particular concern.

In case of such a decision, the US Government should take certain steps against this country, including public condemnation, cancellation of cultural and scientific exchanges, public and other visits, cancellation or suspension of US Government assistance to private and international institutions.

The bill states that Russia is responsible for violations of religious freedom in the territories it controls, and not only in the territories within its borders.

The US Congress is convinced that the document will allow the government to take concrete steps to protect religious freedom in Ukraine.

As reported earlier, the OCU and the State Department agreed on bilateral cooperation, and US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said it was important for the United States to communicate with Epiphany Dumenko so that "Russia's influence in Ukraine was not so strong".

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