Our special guest, renowned Swedish journalist Bert Sundström, together with our host Tornike Metreveli⁠ and scholar of religion Magdalena Dziaczkowska discuss whether religion in the war acts as a mobilizer or is largely symbolic, considering the influence of both the Russian Orthodox Church (led by Patriarch Kirill) and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The discussion addresses how religious institutions, especially the split of the Ukrainian Church from the Moscow Patriarchate, reinforce national identity and solidarity in Ukraine. The panel considers how Ukraine’s religious landscape shapes national identity, the Moscow Patriarchate’s role in Russian international relations and potential long-term changes to the religious landscape in Ukraine and Russia, with attention to how the Orthodox Church’s influence might evolve post-war, and whether religion could become a potent political tool in Ukraine’s future.

Photo: Jae C. Hong/AP