Political analyst: New wave of pressure on UOC will spark backlash in U.S.

Political analyst Kost Bondarenko. Photo: cdnn1.ukraina

Political analyst Kostiantyn Bondarenko, citing his sources, told the outlet Strana that part of the U.S. Republican establishment, led by Vice President J.D. Vance, continues to criticize Ukraine's policy of infringing on the rights of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). He predicts that any new attempt to intensify pressure on the Church will provoke a “sharp reaction in Washington.”

In his view, some members of Ukraine’s leadership will not be able to ignore the enactment of yet another segment of anti-church legislation – namely, the Cabinet of Ministers’ approval of regulatory acts that mark another step toward banning the UOC.

“There will be a lot of talk about the need for a ban, and possibly even some actions taken in that direction. But overall, such activity will be limited in scope,” Bondarenko believes.

He also anticipates that the U.S. position will be negative and will be conveyed both formally and informally. “As a result, the Ukrainian authorities will restrain both their own and others’ impulses to finally 'resolve the UOC issue',” the analyst concluded.

As previously reported by the UOJ, MP Mykyta Poturaev recently stated that those opposing the law to ban the UOC are “threatening national security.”

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