The Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, which took place on June 7, became a turning point in changing the policy of the Russian Orthodox Church on the Ukrainian issue, and possibly in relation to the far abroad in general, the future establishment of relations with the Patriarchate of Constantinople.” This was stated by Deputy Director of the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Political Sciences Roman Lunkin, writes RIA Novosti.

“The Synod has actually stabilized the state of church affairs, despite sounding alarmism from different sides,” Lunkin said.

Commenting on the decision of the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church to include the Crimean dioceses in its composition, he said that “the reaction of the speakers of the UOC was very calm to this, since the Ukrainian Council itself allowed the dioceses to determine their status in critical conditions.”

“The new Charter of the UOC after May 27 begins with the provision that the self-government of the UOC is based on the tomos issued by Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia in 1990. In this regard, the ROC considers the UOC as its friendly church, going through a difficult period, but as independent structures can accept individual dioceses of the Ukrainian Church, since it itself gave such a right to its church territories,” says Lunkin.