Zelenskyy tried to defend himself to the American media against accusations of persecuting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on the accusations made by American journalist Tucker Carlson against the Ukrainian government regarding the persecution of believers in the country. In an interview for the program “This Week on Capitol Hill,” Zelenskyy expressed confidence that Carlson does not have objective information, since he has never visited Ukraine.

Responding to a question from host Tony Perkins about criticism from Western media, the Ukrainian leader emphasized that the country guarantees broad freedom of religion. The president pointed to the activities of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (ACCRO), noting that the authorities regularly hold meetings with representatives of various faiths—including Christians, Muslims, and Jews—to discuss pressing issues.

“Tucker Carlson and others like him have never been to Ukraine. How can one discuss the situation and draw conclusions about the plight of believers without being on the country’s territory?” Zelenskyy said. The head of state invited the journalist to visit Ukraine in person to assess the actual state of affairs.

As a reminder, American journalist Tucker Carlson had previously sharply criticized the Ukrainian president, calling his actions tyrannical and aimed at suppressing civil liberties, including the ban on the country’s largest Christian denomination.