Zelensky proposes ban on Moscow-linked Orthodox Church in Ukraine

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pledges to ban the Orthodox Church linked to Moscow.
• Membership in the independent church has grown since Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
• Criminal proceedings against dozens of clerics from the church have been launched.

On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pledged to “strengthen our Ukrainian spiritual independence,” suggesting that the country’s leadership is moving toward effectively banning the branch of the Orthodox Church linked to Moscow.

While the majority of Ukrainians are Orthodox Christians, the faith is divided into two branches: one with traditional ties to the Russian Orthodox Church and an independent church, which the global Orthodox hierarchy has recognized since 2019.

Since Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February 2022, membership in the independent church loyal to the Kyiv patriarchate has grown significantly. However, the minority Moscow-linked church still maintains influence. Ukrainian leaders accuse this church of supporting the invasion and attempting to sway public opinion.

“I have just held a meeting — a preparatory one — regarding a decision that will strengthen our Ukrainian spiritual independence,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address.

“We must deprive Moscow of the last opportunities to restrict the freedom of Ukrainians. And the decisions for this must be 100 percent effective. We will ensure that.”

Last year, Parliament gave initial approval to a bill aimed at outlawing the activities of religious organizations affiliated with centers of influence “in a state that carries out armed aggression against Ukraine.” However, an attempt last month to introduce a draft for final approval failed, and the legislation remains pending.

The minority church claims that it severed all ties with the Russian Orthodox Church, which openly supports the Kremlin’s war, following the invasion. Ukrainian leaders dispute this claim. Authorities have launched criminal proceedings, including treason charges, against dozens of clerics from the church. At least one cleric has been sent to Russia as part of a prisoner swap.

Some Ukrainian lawmakers have expressed concerns that the legislation might face opposition from conservative Republicans in the United States, Ukraine’s largest Western supporter, who might argue that it restricts religious freedom.

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