Kiev Efforts To Create Independent Church Weaken Prospects For Reunion With Donbas- Expert

Kiev Efforts to Create Independent Church Weaken Prospects for Reunion With Donbas- Expert

Kiev's attempts to establish a single independent church in the country or the so-called Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church as well as efforts to limit the use of the Russian language are weakening the prospects for reunification with Donbas, Russia's Center for Current Policy Director Alexey Chesnakov told Sputnik.

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th October, 2018) Kiev's attempts to establish a single independent church in the country or the so-called Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church as well as efforts to limit the use of the Russian language are weakening the prospects for reunification with Donbas, Russia's Center for Current Policy Director Alexey Chesnakov told Sputnik.

"Unfortunately, Kiev has recently taken new steps, worsening the possibility of negotiations on uniting into a common political space with Donbas. I am referring to the initiatives related to further restrictions on the use of the Russian language and the creation of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. These initiatives discredit part of the confidence-building measures over which enormous diplomatic and expert work is carried out," Chesnakov said.

According to the political expert, Kiev is fully responsible for slowing down the implementation of the Minsk Agreements.

"Given the prevalence of a populist rhetoric in Kiev, we should not expect the implementation of security measures, the economic and humanitarian provisions of the Minsk agreements in the near future. I even do not speak about political commitments. In terms of political measures, Kiev not only failed to take the necessary steps to implement the agreements, but rather, on the contrary, seriously complicated their implementation," Chesnakov added.

Earlier in October, the Synod of the Constantinople Patriarchate announced that it would proceed to grant independence to the Orthodox church in Ukraine, which is currently split into three major churches � the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) of Moscow Patriarchate, the non-canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kiev Patriarchate (UOC-KP), created after the Soviet collapse, and the so-called Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church.

The Istanbul-based synod also lifted anathema from the heads of the two non-canonical churches that had been excommunicated by the Russian Orthodox Church for their schism. The Constantinople Patriarchate also revoked its decision to grant Moscow Patriarchate the right to ordain the Metropolitan of Kiev, which dates back to 1686.

The Russian Orthodox Church said that the decision was the "legalization of schism," adding that it would have catastrophic consequences and would affect millions of Christians in Ukraine and other countries. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate said that the synod's decision was a hostile act, interfering with the Ukrainian church's affairs.