Political Scientist on Aim of Visit of Russian Patriarch to Ukraine

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) can conduct unofficial economic negotiations with Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych, but the main goal of his visit is to remind “who is the boss,” said the head of the Kyiv Horshenin Institute of Management Problems, Volodymyr Fesenko, in a commentary to liga.net.

According to the political expert, the activity of Patriarch Kirill on Ukrainian territory is noticeably higher than that of his predecessor. “Ukraine is in the center of a special attention of Kirill. I think it is a certain strategy of strengthening the influence of 'pastoral' control in the subordinated territory,” he stressed.

“I do not expect confrontation. We will see what we saw last summer, even though I do not exclude some new nuances,” noted the expert.

In the opinion of the expert, if Patriarch Kirill asks for assistance in the expansion of the ROC, Yanukovych can grant that assistance but will expect some concessions, for instance, to remind Russian Prime Minister Putin of the problem of the “South Stream.” 

The head of the ROC will visit Ukraine on November 22 to participate the celebration of the 75th birthday anniversary of Metropolitan Volodymyr of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate.