For the record

Congressional Ukraine Caucus calls on State Department to fully sanction Nord Stream 2

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On May 13, the Congressional Ukraine Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), Andy Harris (R-Md.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), sent the following letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressing deep concern with the state of energy security in Ukraine and Central and Eastern Europe. In the letter, the members called on the Department of State to increase efforts to bolster energy resilience by fully sanctioning Nord Stream 2 as mandated by PEESCA as amended and consistent with Congressional intent, increase diplomatic action to counter the purging of Naftogaz leadership, and strengthen efforts to fulfill the U.S. pledge to invest $300 million of U.S. financing into the Three Seas Fund.

Community Chronicle

Orthodox hierarchs announce mental health survey and professional directory

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SOUTH BOUND BROOK, N.J. – In its Spring 2021 Consistory Circular, the hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. – Metropolitan Antony and Archbishop Daniel (president of the Consistory) – announced the initiative of the Assembly of Canonical Bishops of the United States of America for a Mental Health Needs Assessment Survey, which was launched on April 7.

Editorials

Nord Stream 2

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Much has been written recently regarding the decision by U.S. President Joe Biden to waive critical sanctions tied to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. The Biden administration did sanction several companies and ships that have continued to work on the project, but it decided to waive sanctions on the main company behind the project, Nord Stream 2 AG, and the company’s chief operating officer, Matthias Warnig.

Turning the pages back...

June 1, 1966

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Fifty-five years ago, on June 1, 1966, J. Edgar Hoover, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), issued a statement that was published in the June 1 issue of the FBI Law Enforce­ment Bulletin.

Commentary

Inaction is a sin

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When I was young my mother dragged me to church for recollections. The guest speaker was Father Mudryj who later became bishop. He said much of note but the only phrase that left an impression on this teenager at the time was, if you see something wrong and you do nothing, this is a sin. Frankly, I have tried to comfort myself according to these words ever since.

Columnists

The Helsinki Commission: 45 years of promoting human rights, democracy, peace and security. Part 1

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Forty-five years ago on June 3, 1976, over the strong, and thankfully unsuccessful, objection of Henry Kissinger’s State Department, a bill creating the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, commonly known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, was signed into law. For more than 35 of those 45 years, I had the privilege to work for this small U.S. government agency located on Capitol Hill, which promotes peace, security, human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The work was meaningful and fulfilling, and reflected many of the values I was raised with, including in my grade-school through grad-school Catholic education.

Commentary

Is Nord Stream 2 in America’s national interest?

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President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken invoked U.S. “national interest” in allowing Russia and Germany to proceed with completing the Nord Stream 2 (NS2) pipeline, without explaining exactly what that interest was. How is it in the U.S. national interest to place the security of Europe’s sovereign nations at risk by supporting the NS2 pipeline, in partnership with a notoriously untrustworthy Russia, in exchange for short-term energy security for Germany?

Community Chronicle

Plast to hold limited summer camps in summer 2021

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Last summer, the pandemic resulted in the first missed in-person summer camps for Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization in the U.S.A. For many young scouts it meant a quick pivot to virtual camps, thanks to extraordinary efforts by Regional Camping Committees (OTK), creative counselors and parents, and enthusiastic plastuny (scouts). Since then, scouts have been attending virtual weekly meetings, socially distanced meetups with friends, and Zooming with friends and family – anything to connect with those they have dearly missed.

Community Chronicle

2021 UOL Convention moves online

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PHILADELPHIA – The 74th annual Convention of the Ukrainian Orthodox League (UOL) will be held online in a virtual format this year on July 24. Scheduled to be hosted in Philadelphia by the St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral UOL chapter (originally planned for July 22-25), the UOL National Executive Board – after consultations with the Philadelphia Convention Committee and the hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. (UOC-U.S.A.) – announced in May that the 2021 convention will be held online.