Guzhva: Phanar head’s actions are related to US foreign policy activation

Igor Guzhva, Editor-in-Chief of “Strana.UA”. Photo: 112.ua

The actions of the head of the Phanar are related to the activation of US foreign policy in the East European direction. Igor Guzhva, Editor-in-Chief of the “Strana.UA” Internet edition, said on “112 Ukraine”.

In his opinion, the situation with the recent statements of the Patriarch of Constantinople about the UOC and generally around the Church in Ukraine is interconnected with a more global context, "because now the situation with the elections in the United States is reaching the home stretch and things are already moving towards determining the final winner".

“If Biden becomes this winner, then, in principle, certain outlines of his foreign policy are already visible, including for those candidates for key positions that he names,” Guzhva said. “And for these candidates and for the theses that they have voiced earlier and are voicing now, in principle, it is already clear that the US policy will be more active in the East European direction, including, probably, on the church issue.”

He recalled that the US State Department took a very active part in the creation of the OCU and its cooperation with Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, "therefore, all that is happening now, all these statements should be viewed in such a broader context".

The journalist pointed out that until now the church sphere has been one of the few where the incumbent President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky differed for the better from his predecessor Petro Poroshenko, "but now we see that a very great tension is being created".

“His (Zelensky's – Ed.) meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul recently, his invitation to Independence Day in Ukraine – all this shows that they are trying to direct him in this way to continue the line that was under Poroshenko and thus create a certain point of tension in Ukrainian society. I hope that both Zelensky and representatives of his close circle, who also very carefully commented on this issue all the time, understand the threat and will not want to lose points here and get tension on the issue that will not add anything to them. This can add, say, to Poroshenko, it can add to the forces that will defend the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. But for someone, but Zelensky, this will definitely not do anything good. I hope he understands this,” added Igor Guzhva.

As reported, political scientist Andrey Zolotarev believes that the words of Patriarch Bartholomew about the UOC are an act of declaring war.

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