Ukrainian MP: Russian Orthodox Church became one of main elements of Russia's foreign policy

According to MP Arseniy Yatsenyuk, visits of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill (Gundiajev) facilitate Russia’s influence on Ukraine through religion and have nothing in common with "Ukrainian spiritual freedom." The leader of the Front for Change said this during a meeting with participants of the Summer School of Journalism of the Day newspaper.

"The idea of the ‘Russian World’ is rather old. Originally there was an attempt to implement it in the USSR and then in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). But it did not work," said the politician answering questions about Patriarch Kirill's recent visit to Ukraine.

"Through so-called pastoral visits, the idea of the ‘Russian World’ can be successfully implemented," said Yatsenyuk, emphasizing that the Russian Orthodox Church became "one of the main elements of Russia's foreign policy." "Religion was in the second place after gas and now it becomes the first. The gas contract was signed for 20 years, so now it’s possible to try pastoral visits," said the MP.