"No one closed anything or banned anyone": Zelensky on the ban of the UOC

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who signed the scandalous anti-church law No. 3894 aimed at banning the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, claims that no one in Ukraine “banned or closed anyone.” The head of state said that there is no pressure on the Church in the country, and the government is simply getting rid of Russia’s control over religious structures within Ukraine. He said this in an interview with the founder of the American edition of the Daily Wire, Ben Shapiro.

“Anyone can confirm that there is no pressure. We celebrate all holidays together. We have people of different faiths, and we always invite everyone. This is important. Everyone knows that Russian special services control churches. It is their way of doing things. This is their choice. Their people either support it or not — it’s their right. And we have never raised this issue — neither before the war nor during the war. But the fact remains that their secret services controlled the churches that operated in Ukraine. This is wrong. The church must be independent, and Moscow cannot control our church. Their KGB, their intelligence cannot control or influence the Ukrainian church. They should not be here. No one has closed anything or banned anyone,” — Zelensky said.

He also added that in the case of the adoption of the anti-church law No. 3894, it is a question of severing legal ties “between the Ukrainian Church and Moscow.” According to Zelensky, the Church should be free from any external influence.

“We were talking about a legal relationship that has existed for many years. But this should not be the case. We should not argue about whose church is older. Ukraine should not discuss this at all. Look — we are now sitting next to St. Sophia Cathedral. St. Sophia is older than the capital of Russia and any of their churches. This building is older, and that’s the answer. We simply say: our church should be free from any external influence. It should be free for people,” — Zelensky summarized.

Earlier, we reported that the Director of National Intelligence of the United States, Tulsi Gabbard, accused Volodymyr Zelenskyy of persecuting the opposition, violating freedom of speech and closing churches. Gabbard drew attention to the fact that there are huge problems with the observance of human rights and freedoms in Ukraine, and this issue is not being resolved.