Expert: Via Bartholomew and OCU authorities hope to build relations with US
Ruslan Bortnik. Photo: persona.top
Through Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and the OCU, Zelensky hopes to build relations with the new US administration. Political expert, Director of the Ukrainian Institute of Politics Ruslan Bortnik said this in a comment to the UOJ regarding the recent meeting of the “Servants of the People” and Deputy Head of the President's Office Kirill Timoshenko with the head of the Phanar in Istanbul.
"A group of supporters of the OCU and heads of the President's Office, Kirill Timoshenko in particular, who hopes to build relations with the United States through the OCU, visited Bartholomew, thus demonstrating their political position, trying to show loyalty and probing the opportunity to build relations with the new US administration through Bartholomew," stated the expert.
He added that we should expect the arrival of Patriarch Bartholomew to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's Independence, and in this regard, "issues related to the property of the Phanar in Ukraine and joint steps aimed at strengthening the OCU and reducing the influence of the UOC can be discussed".
As for the position of President Vladimir Zelensky, who previously said that there is no need to interfere in religious affairs, “today he is interested in establishing multi-level, multifaceted contacts with the American administration, including on the topic of religious issues. Moreover, we remember that the United States and Biden actively support the development of a worldwide religious initiative, such a religious subject."
As reported earlier, Ruslan Bortnik believes that the Joe Biden administration can support the attack on the UOC in Ukraine.
Read also
RCC community accuses MinCulture of manipulation over St. Nicholas Church
The Ministry’s actions, according to the parish priest, demonstrate “political manipulation and a lack of principles.”
Graduates of Kamianets-Podilskyi Iconography School receive diplomas
This year, seven iconographers graduated from the school.
DESS official who studied UOC’s links to ROC: We are not religious experts
Ordinary officials check for signs of affiliation with a banned religious organization.
Dumenko at OCU “council” talks about monasteries but hides number of monks
According to Dumenko, the OCU has over 90 monasteries. As for the number of monks, one can only guess.
Prayers held in Vinnytsia churches for residents killed in Russian shelling
As a result of the city’s shelling in 2022, 27 people were killed and 202 were wounded.
In Chechnia, teacher at private Islamic school beat children with sticks
In Chechnya, authorities are investigating under the article on torture after children were beaten at an Islamic school in Gudermes.