"For Putin, Ukraine has become a trigger," - Bishop of the Chicago UGCC Venedykt Aleksiychuk
This was stated by Bishop Venedykt (Aleksiychuk) in the program "Accents of Your City", reports "Tvoye Misto" (Your City)".
"Putin is afraid of Ukraine because the changes that began to take place here, in the Slavic state, became a trigger for him, a trigger that pressed him. This change initially swept Galicia. And gradually, over 30 years of independence, it reached our capital and went further. Therefore, Putin was conscious, he understood that this would come to Russia. Putin wanted to nip in the bud what should have been in his understanding to destroy Russia," the hierarch believes.
Vladyka, speaking about the Westernization of Ukraine, said that it is important to learn from others, but at the same time, any copy in the world is less valuable than the original.
"Shevchenko has long spoken about Westernization: "Learn from others." It is important to learn from others, but any copy in the world is less expensive than the original. Ukraine should become original. I once lived in Ukraine, in Canada, and now I live in the USA. But Canada and the United States are two different states politically, economically, and socially. Why do they function? Because they are established in a good way," he says.
According to Vladyka Venedykt, we cannot copy Poland, Hungary, Slovakia or America when talking about Westernization. Why is Japan the way it is now? When they were defeated in World War II, they sent their young students to other countries of the world to study and gain experience, and so the phenomenon of Japan was formed in the context of a hardworking culture. It's the same in Ukraine – we need to know our originality.
"I believe that this war will show our essence. We say – "A comrade is known in trouble." It's not just about a friend – I know myself in trouble or difficulties. Therefore, I am sure that this disaster, this war, this tragedy will shake up everything that is insignificant, show the most important things for us as a people," adds Venedykt Aleksiychuk.
