Russia is attempting to discredit Ukraine on the international stage by weaponizing religion.
Kremlin officials continue to respond to the ongoing negotiations by reaffirming Russia's commitment to President Putin's initial ambitious military goals in Ukraine. They are attempting to shift the blame onto the Ukrainian government. This information comes from a report by analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), as reported by TSN.
Experts have noted that Kremlin officials often attempt to exploit the lack of clarity about the outcome of the August 2025 US-Russian Alaska Summit. They claim that the summit achieved a joint understanding between the US and Russia regarding the end of the war in Ukraine, presenting this agreement in ways that benefit Russia and concealing Moscow's efforts to impede the peace process.
Kremlin officials frequently insist that any military or diplomatic resolution to the war must address its “root causes.”
On January 24, the Russian Foreign Ministry declared that Moscow insists on the end of Kyiv’s persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) as a “condition for peace” in Ukraine.
Repeating their propaganda narratives, Kremlin representatives maintain that any resolution, military or diplomatic, must consider these “root causes.”
According to the ISW, the Kremlin has long controlled the ideological narrative of the Russian Orthodox Church and has used the UOC-MP as a tool of hybrid warfare, imposing Russian ideology on Ukrainian society and persecuting religious minorities in the occupied territories.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has questioned whether the United States supports Russia's demands regarding the status of the Russian language and the rights of the UOC-MP.
"In our draft framework agreement — those 20 points — everything is outlined in accordance with international law. International law is a fundamental reality that must be recognized by everyone, and it is the only way to unite all parties involved. We have structured our approach to certain points with the understanding that Ukraine will be a member of the European Union in the future. Thus, our position on such matters will align with European legislation and the principles fundamental to the EU," the president explained.
As reported, during his meeting with Trump in Alaska, President Putin demanded security guarantees for the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine and the official recognition of the Russian language.