CONFESSIONAL FEATURES OF GEOPOLITICAL ORIENTATIONS OF THE UKRAINIAN POPULATION

Abstract

The geopolitical orientation of Ukraine’s population is determined by many historical and contemporary factors. The latter may involve the influence of the religious organizations (denominations) with different geopolitical views on Ukraine’s development direction. Against substantial political and socio-cultural secularization, their capacity to influence the situation is debatable. The data of a Ukrainian public survey conducted in June and July 2016 is used by the author. The study reveals that geopolitical orientations of religious people are partially influenced by confessional belonging. At the same time, the main Ukrainian denominations can be ranked according to affinity of views of the organizations and their parishioners. The highest degree of coincidence is among the parishioners of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, much lower degree — among the parishioners of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church — Kiev Patriarchate, and the lowest degree— among the parishioners of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church— Moscow Patriarchate. More similarities in the positions of the Church and its parishioners are found at the West-oriented parishes, whereas Russia-oriented Ukrainian Orthodox Church— Moscow Patriarchate has relatively little effect on the position of the believers.