DESS Chairman Yelensky discussed the religious situation in Ukraine with US Special Representative Kellogg

On July 15, 2025, Viktor Yelensky, head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience, met with Keith Kellogg, US Special Envoy for Russia and Ukraine. During the meeting, officials discussed the religious situation and state-church relations in Ukraine. This was reported by the DESS website.

It is reported that during the discussion, issues related to the religious situation in Ukraine, Europe, and the world, the state of church-state relations in Ukraine, as well as the contribution of churches and religious communities to the spiritual and humanitarian support of the population and the strengthening of the country’s defense capabilities were discussed. They also discussed strengthening ties between churches and religious organizations in Ukraine and evangelical and other religious circles in the United States.

In addition, the DESS representative traditionally raised the issue of “persecution of believers in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, destruction of religious buildings and places of worship, killings of clergy, as well as repression against evangelical Protestants, Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Muslims.” At the same time, Yelensky ignored the ban on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, discrimination against clergy, and state repression against the UOC.

Recall that the well-known American pastor Mark Burns, who is part of Donald Trump’s circle of associates and who claimed that the ban on the UOC is a lie, admitted that he is not competent in Ukrainian church matters. During his commentary on the subject, Burns was unable to remember the full name of the UOC and constantly added phrases such as “if this is true,” “many people say,” etc.