On May 23, 2026, Donetsk hosted the All-Russian Strategic Session "Implementation of state National Policy: effective methods, interagency cooperation and integration processes." Metropolitan Vladimir of Donetsk and Mariupol took part in the plenary session "Donbass is a stronghold of civil unity".
In his speech "The Role of Orthodoxy in the formation of national identity," the bishop emphasized that the beginning of Russian culture and identity was laid by the adoption of Christianity by Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles. "It was Christianity that brought high moral ideals and those very traditional values into the lives of our ancestors, and gave an impetus to the development of education and book culture," said Vladyka Vladimir.
Metropolitan Vladimir urged not to be afraid to talk about the state-forming role of the Russian people and Orthodoxy. "It is possible and necessary to talk about the state—forming role of the Russian people and the role of Orthodoxy in shaping its identity," the bishop emphasized.
Russian Russians he paid special attention to the concept of the Russian world, quoting His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia: "For Russia, the Russian world is not an ethnic concept. It includes peoples of other religions who share common values." At the same time, the archpastor recalled that "Orthodox ethics contradicts the division of nations into the best and the worst," and patriotism for a Christian is "not a set of big words, but deeds: honest work, caring for neighbors and the Fatherland."
Vladyka Vladimir also cited alarming data from sociological studies showing the erosion of traditional values, even among those who identify themselves as their supporters, and called for joint work by the state, education and the Church to preserve the true spiritual and moral foundation of society.
The head of the DPR Denis Pushilin, Russian Senator from the DPR Natalia Nikonorova, RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan (via video link), political scientist Dmitry Kulikov and Chairman of the Board of the Russian Historical Society Ruslan Gagkuev also addressed the plenary session.
According to Denis Pushilin, the session will result in methodological recommendations for the implementation of integration activities in new regions of the Russian Federation, a standard program of adaptation courses for migrant workers and a collection of best practices for preserving the culture of the Russian people and the heritage of the peoples of Russia.
The session was also attended by the chairman of the missionary Department of the Donetsk Diocese, Priest Dimitry Tribushny, and the chairman of the diocesan Youth Department, Archpriest Evgeny Aksenov. The clergy took part in thematic sections on the adaptation of migrants, the preservation of the Russian language and the unity of the front and rear.
Representatives of the Donetsk Diocese consider it important that clergy participate in the discussion of state national policy along with representatives of the government, the public and the media. As Metropolitan Vladimir noted, without the spiritual and moral foundation laid by Orthodoxy, genuine unity of the people and the preservation of national identity are impossible.