Ukraine’s Zelenskiy suggests moves towards banning Orthodox church with Moscow ties

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Ukraine’s Zelenskiy suggests moves towards banning Orthodox ******* with Moscow ties

(Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pledged on Saturday to “strengthen our Ukrainian spiritual independence”, suggesting that the country’s leadership was moving towards effectively banning the branch of the Orthodox ******* that has links to Moscow.

A majority of Ukrainians are Orthodox Christians, but the ****** is split into one branch with traditional links to the Russian Orthodox ******* and an independent *******, recognised by the world Orthodox hierarchy since 2019.

Membership of the independent ******* loyal to the Kyiv patriarchate has swelled since Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February 2022. But the ********* Moscow-linked ******* retains influence and Ukrainian leaders accuse it of abetting the invasion and trying to poison public opinion.

“I have just held a meeting — a preparatory one — regarding a decision that will strengthen our Ukrainian spiritual independence,” Zelenskiy 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% effective. We will ensure that.”

Parliament last year gave initial approval to a bill that would have outlawed the activities of religious organisations affiliated with centres of influence “in a state that carries out armed aggression against Ukraine”.

But an attempt last month to introduce a draft to secure final approval ******* and the legislation ******** in abeyance.

The ********* ******* says that after the invasion it cut all its links with the Russian Orthodox *******, an unabashed supporter of the Kremlin’s war. Ukrainian leaders dispute that contention.

********* proceedings, including treason charges, have been launched against dozens of their clerics. At least one cleric has been sent to Russia as part of a prisoner swap.

Some Ukrainian lawmakers have also expressed fears that the legislation could meet opposition from ************* Republicans in the ******* States, Ukraine’s biggest Western backer, on grounds that it restricts religious freedom.

(Reporting by Ron Popeski and Oleksandr Kozhukhar)

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