KIEV, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The Ukrainian parliament on Thursday supported the initiative of President Petro Poroshenko to strive for the independence of Ukrainian Orthodox Church from Russian Orthodox Church.
According to a statement on the parliament's website, 268 lawmakers in the 450-seat assembly endorsed the presidential appeal to Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians, asking him to recognize the independence of Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Commenting on the appeal, Poroshenko said the decision to ask the autocephaly of the Ukrainian church goes beyond religious matters.
"It is about our ultimate independence from Moscow. It is not only religion, but also geopolitics," Poroshenko was quoted as saying by his press service.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia does not support Ukraine's gesture.
"Any actions aimed at splitting the church can hardly be supported; they can hardly be welcomed," Peskov was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti news agency.
In June 2016, the Ukrainian parliament appealed to Patriarch Bartholomew to recognize the independence of Ukrainian Orthodox Church, but the move had no results.
