Thanks to a close alliance between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Kremlin, religion has proved a particularly powerful tool in former Soviet lands like Moldova, where senior priests loyal to the Moscow church hierarchy have campaigned tirelessly to block their countryâ??s integration with the West. Priests in Montenegro, meanwhile have spearheaded efforts to derail their countryâ??s plans to join NATO.
But faith has also helped Mr. Putin amplify Russiaâ??s voice farther west, with the church leading a push into resolutely secular members of the European Union like France.
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