Expert: Phanar head goes to US "to touch base" before promoting union

Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew. Photo: fraza.com

The visit of the head of Phanar, Patriarch Bartholomew, to the United States ushers in a new experiment of advancing the union as far as to the East with Ukraine being a ground for this pilot scheme, said Andrei Zolotarev, political expert, head of the Third Sector Center, on the First Cossack channel.

“The visit of Bartholomew to Washington indicated that we are on the verge of a new stage in the drama of Orthodoxy – and not only Ukrainian,” the political analyst said.

The expert drew attention to the unusual rhetoric for the head of Phanar, who, during his speech in Washington, decided to criticize Erdogan in order to elicit increased support from the United States.

“It is obvious that the next stage is a focus on union (of Phanar with the Vatican – Ed.),” the political analyst emphasized. “So he went to 'synchronize watches’. In order to receive support, naturally. Perhaps, something more than support. This is not good for Ukraine. Most likely, we will become a field for this pilot scheme on extending the union to the East.”

As the UOJ reported, the UGCC announced that the future patriarch should be elected by both Orthodox and Catholics.

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