Robert Amsterdam named the reason for the creation of the OCU in Ukraine

International lawyer of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Robert Amsterdam, shared his opinion on the creation of the OCU and political influence on religious life in Ukraine. In response to a question from journalist Matthew Moore about the new religious structure, Amsterdam said that this process is part of a political game. This was discussed during the Nexus program.

Amsterdam emphasized that the OCU was created at the initiative of former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. He pointed out that in the West, it was seen as a step to weaken the leadership of the Russian Federation.

“This is a Leninist approach they are imposing on the Church. They want to make the Church purely political,” he stated.

The lawyer also noted that the United States is interfering in Ukraine’s spiritual life without understanding the consequences.

“They are interfering in religious conflicts that have been going on for decades,” Amsterdam added.

It is also worth reminding that Robert Amsterdam, the international lawyer of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, highlighted that the faithful and clergy of the UOC have found themselves in an extremely dangerous situation. UOC parishioners are risking their lives on the front lines, while their priests are being tortured and attacked by the authorities.