US Senator tries to refute information about persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley tried to refute the statements of representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches, public and political organizations of the United States about religious persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. According to him, the allegations of pressure and banning of the UOC made on Capitol Hill are false. He explained that Ukrainian law requires churches to stop following the instructions of the Moscow Patriarch, whom he called “a former KGB agent and a direct subordinate of Vladimir Putin.”

According to Grasley, two years ago he met with about 30 Ukrainian religious leaders of various denominations – Orthodox, Catholics, Evangelicals, Jews and Muslims (among whom there were no representatives of the UOC – ed.). All of them testified that everyone in Ukraine is supposedly free to practice their religion.

The senator also drew attention to a report by the Free Russia Foundation titled “The Russian Orthodox Church and the War,” published in September. The document details how “the Russian Orthodox Church supports the invasion of Ukraine through propaganda, religious rituals for the invaders, diplomatic manipulation, and espionage.” The Atlantic Council also hosted an event dedicated to the report, featuring a panel discussion with Orthodox priests on the topic of the ROC’s support for the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine.

Not surprisingly, Grassley noted, “only 4% to 8% of Orthodox Ukrainians still identify with the Moscow Church.” The vast majority of Orthodox Ukrainians, he said, belong to the OCU, recognized by the Patriarch of Constantinople, who is “the first among equals in the Orthodox tradition.” In this regard, the senatorcalled for listening to the position of Patriarch Bartholomew.

At the end of his speech, Senator Chuck Grassley reiterated: “Don’t believe anyone who claims that the Russian Orthodox Church is somehow a victim of religious persecution in this war in Ukraine, which began with Russia’s invasion in February 2022. The Russian Orthodox Church is the leading perpetrator of the persecution of fellow Orthodox Christians, as well as Catholics, evangelicals and others.”

Earlier, we reported that U.S. Congresswoman Anna Pauline Luna harshly criticized the policy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stating that it is unacceptable to ignore the persecution of Christians taking place in the country. She emphasized that the issue of religious freedom in Ukraine is of fundamental importance and requires the close attention of the international community.