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".
Read also
Mobilized priest of Volodymyr-Volynsky Eparchy of UOC killed
A funeral service for Fr Andrii Korynchuk, a priest killed in the war, to be held at UOC Resurrection Cathedral in Kovel.
TRC officers draft UOC priest in Chernihiv
TRC officers have detain Archpriest Pavlo Tovstohon of the Christ's Nativity Church.
Patriarch Bartholomew and Shevchuk discuss obstacles to ecumenical unity
The head of the UGCC said that replacing Christian patriotism with the idea of loyalty to a "warring god" is an obstacle to ecumenical dialogue.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry plans advocacy visits abroad for UCCRO
Members of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations have planned advocacy visits abroad following a meeting with Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister.
UOC priest detained by recruitment officers in Kyiv sent to training ground
UOC priest Maksym Kostiuchenko, who was detained on his way to a church service in Kyiv, has been sent to a military training ground in Chernihiv Region.
25 tons of humanitarian aid from Volyn reach Sviatohirsk Lavra
Around 25 tons of food donated by believers of the UOC Volyn Eparchy arrived at Sviatohirsk Lavra on October 22.