Fifth President of Ukraine, MP (European Solidarity faction), Petro Poroshenko, has said that the first issue of the next meeting of the Verkhovna Rada will be the consideration at the second reading of bill No. 8371, which makes it impossible for religious organizations whose governing center is located in the state carrying out armed aggression against Ukraine.

This decision was made by the conciliation board on Wednesday, August 14, Poroshenko said at a briefing.

"We strongly insist that the law on the church should be put first immediately. In order not to raise it, the Rada went on vacation for almost a month, but today it was agreed that the decision of the conciliation board taken two months ago to start considering the issue of the church, finally took place," Poroshenko said.

He stressed that the law would make it possible to stop the activities of FSB agents who undermine the foundations of state security.

"Our goal is by no means to close the road to the temple for any of the faithful, our goal is to stop the activities of the fifth column of the Russian Federation, those scoundrels who surrender the positions of our troops, transfer patriots, volunteers to Russia, refuse to honour Ukrainian heroes, and to do other things that exactly coincide with the interests of the aggressor country," Poroshenko explained.

He expressed hope that the initiatives put forward by European Solidarity could be implemented by Independence Day. The party will also demand strict compliance with the 2019 law on the naming of churches.

"For if the church has a control center in the aggressor country [we are talking about the UOC (MP) – Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate], if it mentions FSB General Kirill Gundyaev in the diptych, then it should be called in Ukraine in accordance with the law – the Russian Orthodox Church. There is no need to manipulate people and deceive people. The believer, who goes to the church of the Russian Orthodox Church, must clearly understand and consciously make this or that choice. And those who refuse to rename themselves – through the court, through the Ministry of Justice, appropriate measures provided for by law must be taken," Poroshenko said.