The Ukrainian Weekly, 2018

INSIDE: Our communities remember the Holodomor – page 8 Candle of Remembrance continues its global journey – page 11 Hockey’s Babych brothers on a visit to Ukraine – page 12 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXXVI No. 47 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2018 $2.00 Pompeo: Ukraine Requiem at St. Patrick’s commemorates has ‘no greater friend than the United States’ Holodomor’s 85th anniversary RFE/RL U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said Ukraine has “no greater friend than the United States” in its struggle against “Russian aggression.” Mr. Pompeo made the remark after meeting with the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Pavlo Klimkin in Washington on November 16. The secretary of state said the “United States will never accept Russia’s attempted annexation of Crimea,” and that Washington will impose “consequences until Russia returns control of the Black Sea pen- insula to Ukraine.” The two diplomats met on the 10th anniversary of the declaration of a strategic partnership between Irene Rejent Saviano Ukraine and the United States. Ukrainian Catholic and Orthodox hierarchs – Bishop Andriy Rabiy, Metropolitan Antony and Bishop Paul Chomnycky – lead the [The two leaders met, as Mr. ecumenical requiem service held in St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Pompeo said, “to breathe new life into by Roma Hadzewycz cide, the Holodomor of 1932-1933. Paul Chomnycky, OSBM, of the Ukrainian the U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership The service was led by Metropolitan Catholic Eparchy of Stamford, Conn. Commission and to reaffirm our NEW YORK – Ukrainian Americans and Antony, prime hierarch of the Ukrainian Responses were sung by the Ukrainian unwavering support for a democratic their supporters came together at the land- Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. and Dumka Chorus, under the direction of Vasyl Ukraine.” Mr. Klimkin noted that “The mark St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Saturday, Diaspora; Bishop Andriy Rabiy, apostolic Hrechynsky. commission unites a number of min- November 17, for a solemn remembrance administrator of the Ukrainian Catholic isters and governmental agencies on of the 85th anniversary of Ukraine’s geno- Archeparchy of Philadelphia; and Bishop (Continued on page 16) both sides – such as defense, com- merce, energy, foreign affairs – that work together to advance our broad and intensive agenda, and the shared goals enumerated in the charter.” The Experts: Five years aft er Maidan, democratic course is set, text of the Joint Statement on U.S.- Ukraine Strategic Partnership appears on page 3.] yet public distrust is high and corruption remains prevalent Secretary Pompeo said he and by Mark Raczkiewycz Minister Klimkin made progress in several areas during their talks, KYIV – Five years on, Ukraine’s 2013- including on security and countering 2014 Revolution of Dignity still symbolizes Russian aggression, rule of law and a definitive choice for democracy and inte- humanitarian issues, as well as eco- gration with the European Union. It also nomic and energy security. was a rejection of ex-President Viktor Mr. Pompeo also noted the two Yanukovych’s kleptocratic and autocratic discussed joint efforts to stop the regime, according to findings from a com- Nord Stream 2 project that, he said, parative poll of political, economic and civil “undermines Ukraine’s economic and society experts over the last five years by strategic security and risks further the Kyiv-based Ilko Kucheriv Democratic compromising the sovereignty of Initiatives (DIF) think tank. European nations that depend on Released on the eve of the popular upris- Russian gas.” ing’s fifth anniversary on November 20, the Nord Stream 2 is a controversial survey of 80 respondents found that the project that would expand the current revolution was victorious in that sense. Nord Stream pipeline, which passes Among its positive outcomes: civil soci- along the bottom of the Baltic Sea to ety grew stronger and a new class of civi- deliver Russian gas to Germany. cally-minded politicians partially entered Nazar Prykhodko The United States, Poland, the the chambers of power. Kyiv subsequently A view of Kyiv’s Independence Square – the epicenter of the Euro-Maidan Revolution Baltic states and several other EU signed a far-reaching and landmark politi- – on February 19, 2014, from the scorched Trade Unions building that acted as the countries have expressed concern cal and trade pact with the 28-member movement’s ad hoc headquarters. More than 100 members of the state Security European Union that included visa-free Service’s (SBU) elite anti-terrorist unit Alfa seized the building on the previous night (Continued on page 6) before it was set on fire, according to the first post-Maidan SBU chief, Valentyn (Continued on page 10) Nalyvaichenko. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2018 No. 47 ANALYSIS Elections staged in Ukraine’s east Ukrainian Orthodox church firebombed press for progress carrying out a peace plan forged in the Belarusian capital in Unknown assailants firebombed the his- 2015 would be “pointless” for the time held under Russian control toric 18th century St. Andrew Ukrainian being. Mr. Putin said he hopes a new presi- The post-election statements of both Orthodox Church in Kyiv and attacked a dential administration in Kyiv next year by Vladimir Socor priest early on November 15, a church Eurasia Daily Monitor leaders straddle the line between celebrat- will dedicate itself to peacefully resolving ing their own “statehood” and anticipating spokesman said. The attack comes amid ris- the conflict between the government and Kremlin-orchestrated, internationally the ultimate unification with Russia. This ing tensions between Ukraine and Russia Moscow-backed separatists that has killed unrecognized “elections” were held on dialectical combination replicates the pat- over Ukraine’s move to create a national more than 10,300 people since 2014. “The November 11 in the Donetsk and Luhansk tern of the protracted conflicts in independent Church and sever centuries- current Ukrainian authorities have not “people’s republics” (DPR and LPR), Transnistria, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, old ties with the Russian Orthodox Church. shown any desire to implement the Minsk Russian-controlled territories in Ukraine’s allowing Russia and its proxies to enjoy The Molotov cocktails did not explode and agreements – they are not doing anything east. The final returns, made public on flexibility in negotiations while firmly con- no damage was done to St. Andrew’s to implement them, nothing is happening,” November 14, serve to confirm and prolong trolling the territory, and often confusing Church, which sits on a steep slope on one Mr. Putin said, claiming that as long as the the authority of the “head of the republic” Western counterparts through these ambi- of Kyiv’s best-known tourist spots. The Poroshenko administration remains in (“glava respubliki,” would-be president) and guities. church spokesman, Archbishop Yevstratiy, power “a peaceful resolution of issues in the “people’s council” (would-be legisla- According to Mr. Pushilin, “We have now said the attackers, of whom police said these territories can hardly be counted on.” ture) in each of the two territories. crossed a historic threshold: we are a state, there were four, used pepper spray against a Ukrainian presidential press secretary The DPR’s “interim acting head,” Denis one that must be taken into account by the priest. Kyiv authorities handed over the use Sviatoslav Tseholko wrote on Facebook Pushilin, is credited with 61 percent of the world. We have proven that we can build a of St. Andrew’s to the ecumenical patriarch, that Mr. Poroshenko wants a peaceful set- votes cast (the remainder being shared by state, based on democratic principles.” Yet, the global spiritual leader of Orthodox tlement in eastern Ukraine, but “will never four also-rans). Mr. Pushilin’s political orga- “We have confirmed our 2014 choice, name- Christianity who sits in Istanbul, while agree on peace on the terms of an aggres- nization, Donetsk Republic, is attributed 72 ly, integration with Russia. We are going to courting the patriarch’s support for sor country.” Kyiv and Western govern- percent of the votes cast in the “parliamenta- pursue an integration policy together with Ukrainian Church independence. “We see ments accuse Russia of providing arms and ry” election, versus 26 percent to the Free the brother people of Russia.” Similarly, that Moscow’s henchmen are dropping troops to help the Ukrainian separatists, Donbas group. The former has a nomenkla- according to Mr. Pasechnik, “In 2014 we clear hints to intimidate representatives of and say that Russia is not carrying out its tura flavor, the latter a populist flavor; both defined our path, chose our fate, to build our the Ecumenical Patriarch,” Archbishop part of the Minsk peace plan by withdraw- are billed as movements, rather than parties. republic in the Russian world, with Russia in Yevstratiy said. Ukraine in October secured ing that support. The Kremlin denies the In a parallel exercise, the LPR’s “interim our hearts. Today we have voted for our approval from the ecumenical patriarch to accusations. (RFE/RL, with reporting by acting head,” Leonid Pasechnik, is credited independence, for peace, for our Republic” set up an independent Church, a move DPA and Interfax) with 68 percent of the votes cast (three (Donetskoye Agentstvo Novostei, Lugansk fiercely opposed by Russia. The U.S. also-rans share the rest). Mr. Pasechnik’s Infotsentr, November 11). Embassy in Ukraine said it was “very con- Yanukovych trial postponed organization, Peace to the Luhansk Region, The violent removal of Messrs. Plotnitsky cerned” by reports of an attack on St. Former Ukrainian President Viktor is allotted 74 percent of the votes cast in the and Zakharchenko was a contributory fac- Andrew’s Church. “We support the right of Yanukovych’s treason trial in Kyiv has been election for “Parliament,” versus 25 percent tor, but not the determining factor to the all religious groups to practice their beliefs postponed due to his hospitalization in to the Luhansk Economic Union.

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