The Ukrainian Weekly, 2016
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INSIDE: l Countering the information war in Ukraine – page 6 l New film “Freedom or Death” screened in N.J. – page 10 l Our community: New Jersey, Rhode Island, D.C – pages 16-17 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXXIV No. 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2016 $2.00 Foreign ministers discuss Coalition near collapse after failed no-confidence vote eastern Ukraine conflict, by Zenon Zawada KYIV – Ukraine’s coalition government implementation of Minsk II approached the brink of collapse after the RFE/RL Verkhovna Rada failed on February 16 to muster enough votes to dismiss the highly MUNICH – Senior diplomats from unpopular prime minister, Arseniy Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France Yatsenyuk, and his Cabinet of Ministers. met in Munich on February 13 to dis- The Samopomich and Batkivshchyna par- cuss the situation in eastern Ukraine ties announced in the following days that and implementation of the Minsk II they were exiting the coalition government, agreement on steps to end the conflict accusing national deputies of the biggest there. parties of abandoning the principles of the The meeting took place on the side- Euro-Maidan that reached its bloody conclu- lines of the Munich Security sion nearly two years earlier to the date. Conference. The foreign affairs minis- “A union of power has become obvious ters of Ukraine, Germany and Russia between the Petro Poroshenko Bloc, the took part, along with a senior French People’s Front (led by Mr. Yatsenyuk), and diplomat. the fragments of the Party of Regions that German Foreign Affairs Minister are controlled by a series of oligarchs,” said a Frank-Walter Steinmeier noted some February 18 statement by the Samopomich progress in negotiations, including on party leadership. the thorny question of how to conduct “Such actions delegitimize the govern- Vladislav Musienko/UNIAN Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk enjoys a laugh in the Verkhovna Rada ahead of elections in areas of eastern Ukraine ment of Ukraine. They are an encroachment controlled by Russia-backed separat- the failed no-confidence vote on February 16. Critics contend the vote was planned to on the country’s order and they put a final fail by the president and oligarchs. ists. end to the ‘European Ukraine’ parliamentary But he said that all sides were still “a coalition. It’s particularly cynical that such a the parliamentary coalition has 217 votes the coalition, claimed this week that his long way off from resolving the con- union was formed on the eve of the anniver- between the Poroshenko Bloc and People’s Radical Party left the coalition on September flict.” sary of the shooting of patriots on the Front parties – nine votes short of a needed 1, 2015, though no official document was He also delivered a rebuke to Russia, Maidan and the tragic events at Debaltseve,” majority. reported at the time. the statement noted. Oleh Liashko, the head of the Radical (Continued on page 14) Without Self-Reliance and Batkivshchyna, Party that was the fifth faction that formed (Continued on page 18) REACTION TO THE MEETING OF POPE AND RUSSIAN PATRIARCH “Two parallel worlds”: An interview with Patriarch Sviatoslav On February 12, Pope Francis and joint texts, it is difficult to expect something two parallel lines do not intersect. It was officially reported that this docu- Patriarch Kirill, the leaders of two Churches, good. Firstly, I would like to say something I found myself experiencing authentic ment was the joint effort of Metropolitan met at the Jose Marti International Airport about the meeting of the holy father with admiration, respect, and a certain reveren- Hilarion (Alfeyev) from the Orthodox side in Havana. The meeting took place in a Patriarch Kirill, and then I will comment on tial awe for the humility of Pope Francis, a and Cardinal [Kurt] Koch with the Pontifical closed setting. It lasted more than two hours. the text of the declaration. true “suffering servant of God,” who seeks Council for Promoting Christian Unity from The meeting of Pope Francis and One notices immediately, especially from one thing: to bear witness to the Gospel of the Catholic side. For a document that was Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox their comments after the meeting, that the Christ before humankind today, to be in the intended to be not theological, but essen- Church concluded with the signing of a Joint two sides existed on two completely differ- world, but remain of Christ, to have cour- tially socio-political, it is hard to imagine a Declaration, which elicited mixed reactions ent planes and were pursuing different age to be “not of this world.” Thus, I would weaker team than the one that drafted this on the part of the citizenry and Church rep- goals. His Holiness Pope Francis experi- invite all not to rush in judging him, not to text. The mentioned Pontifical Council is resentatives of Ukraine. enced this encounter primarily as a spiritual remain on the reality level of those who competent in theological matters in rela- Patriarch Sviatoslav, the head of the event. He opened his remarks by noting that expect only politics from this meeting and tions with various Christian Churches and Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, shared his we, Catholics and Orthodox, share one and want to exploit a humble pope for their communities, but is no expert in matters of impressions of the meeting in general and of the same Baptism. In the meeting, he sought human plans at all costs. If we don’t enter international politics, especially in delicate the document in particular in an interview out the presence of the Holy Spirit and into the spiritual reality of the holy father matters such as Russia’s aggression in conducted in Ukrainian by Father Ihor received His support. He emphasized that and do not discern together with him the Ukraine. Thus, the intended character of the Yatsiv. The text of the interview was shared the unity of the Churches can be achieved action of the Holy Spirit, we shall remain document was beyond their capabilities. by the Communications Office of the when we travel together on the same path. imprisoned by the prince of this world and This was exploited by the Department of Philadelphia Archeparchy of the Ukrainian From the Moscow Patriarch one imme- his followers. Then, for us, this will become External Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Catholic Church. diately sensed that this wasn’t about any a meeting that occurred but didn’t happen. Church, which is, first of all, the instrument Spirit, or theology, or actual religious mat- Speaking of the signed text of the Joint of diplomacy and external politics of the Your Beatitude, kindly share with us ters. No common prayer, an emphasis on Declaration, in general it is positive. In it are Moscow Patriarchate. your impressions of the meeting official phrases about “the fate of the raised questions, which are of concern to I would note that, as the head of our between Pope Francis and Patriarch world,” and the airport as a neutral, that is, both Catholics and Orthodox, and it opens Church, I am an official member of the Kirill. What can you say about the Joint non-ecclesial environment. The impression new perspectives for cooperation. I encour- Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Declaration they signed? was that they existed in two parallel age all to look for these positive elements. Unity, nominated already by Pope Benedict. From our experience, gained over many worlds. Did these two parallel realities However, the points which concern Ukraine However, no one invited me to express my years, we can say that when the Vatican intersect during this meeting? I don’t know, in general and specifically the UGCC raised and Moscow organize meetings or sign but according to the rules of mathematics, more questions than answers. (Continued on page 15) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2016 No. 8 ANALYSIS Wristwatch given to wounded soldier Poroshenko denounces Russian aggression Kerry meets with Poroshenko MUNICH – Speaking on February 13 at WASHINGTON – U.S. State Department points to Russian role in Ukraine war the 2016 Munich Security Conference, Spokesperson John Kirby on February 13 Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko released the following information about by Tom Balmforth soldier from Mr. Usov’s tank brigade asks stressed that his country needs unflagging Secretary of State John Kerry’s meeting with RFE/RL what the minister said. Mr. Usov replies: support from the West, saying that the Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. “He didn’t say anything much, just security of Europe and the world are at “Secretary Kerry met today on the sidelines MOSCOW – A cybersleuthing group says [expressed hope] that we’d get better... He stake in Ukraine. At a presidential panel at of the Munich Security Conference with it has uncovered new evidence pointing to also gave a gift of a watch!” the Munich conference, he addressed angry Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. The deep, direct Russian involvement in the A social-media post made by Mr. Usov a remarks to an absent Russian President secretary reaffirmed the strong support of battle of Debaltseve in early 2015, a turning day earlier, on February 21, comprises a Vladimir Putin. “Mr. Putin, this is not a civil the United States for full implementation of point in the conflict in eastern Ukraine that close-up photograph of a boxed Aviator war in Ukraine, this is your aggression... the Minsk agreement. He urged unity weakened Kyiv’s hand at peace talks. Airacobra watch with a Defense Ministry this is your soldiers who have entered my among Ukraine’s leaders, and faster prog- Using posts and photographs gleaned logo printed on the watch face.