The Orthodox Church of Ukraine was granted independence in 2019, marking an historic split from Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). This has undermined Moscow’s century-old religious dominance over Kyiv and curtailed its use of the ROC for political purposes and propaganda.
Last year, Ukraine banned all activity of the ROC in Ukraine and its affiliated entities on its territory, citing national security concerns. This move has been condemned in a controversial UN resolution, which criticised restrictions of religion both in Ukraine and in its Russian-occupied territories. Reinstating the dominance of the ROC in Ukraine remains one of Vladimir Putin’s stated demands for ending the war.
This roundtable explored:
- What is the significance of the orthodox faith for Ukraine’s identity and its nation-building project?
- What is the difference in state-religion relations between Russia and Ukraine?
- What is the reasoning behind the ban on the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church and linked organisation in Ukraine? And what is the true state of religious freedom in Ukraine?
- How do different religious communities work together during the war?
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