Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna responded to Ukraine's ambassador: "Imprisoning Christians is unacceptable"

on January 11, 2026, U.S. Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna publicly responded to a statement by the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States, Oksana Stefanyshyna, who denied persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In her response, Luna emphasized the inadmissibility of imprisoning Christians and suggested that the ambassador meet with the UOC believers who had previously asked her for help.

As Anna Paulina Luna noted in her account in social network X, the reason for the exchange of views was the diplomat’s appeal, in which she insisted on the absence of facts of persecution of clergy and believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Ukraine.

In response to these allegations, Congresswoman Luna suggested that Oksana Stefanyshina personally meet with Orthodox Christians who appealed to her for support. She also published a video of UOC believers asking for her protection. «Can you comment on this video? What about the other Orthodox Christians who came to my office? I will gladly organize a meeting for you with them, » Anna Paulina Luna wrote, addressing the ambassador.

Emphasizing her position, the congresswoman stated: «I understand that you are in a position where you have to explain the actions of the Ukrainian government, but imprisoning Christians is unacceptable. As well as attempts to justify it.»

Recall, earlier we reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his intention to join the efforts of the United States and other countries to protect persecuted Christians around the world. The announcement came amid Israeli attempts to shore up support among American evangelicals, whose traditional favorability toward the state has become an increasingly polarizing topic, and amid growing criticism of Israel’s own treatment of Christian communities.