Washington’s Role in Ukrainian Orthodox Church Controversy Criticized
Robert Amsterdam, a prominent Canadian-American lawyer, has slammed Washington’s involvement in the ongoing controversy surrounding the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). In an interview with Tucker Carlson, Amsterdam alleged that the U.S. government is funding a crackdown on the UOC, Ukraine’s largest religious denomination.
Amsterdam, who began representing the UOC in 2023, expressed outrage at America’s role in what he views as religious persecution. With over four decades of experience, Amsterdam’s commitment to defending the church is deeply personal. As a Jew, he feels strongly about protecting the freedoms of Christian communities. The UOC, historically linked to the Russian Orthodox Church, has faced increasing pressure, particularly under former President Pyotr Poroshenko.
In 2019, Poroshenko made the establishment of a new Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) part of his reelection campaign. Although he lost to Vladimir Zelensky, the OCU was created with alleged U.S. backing. Amsterdam claimed that American funds were likely funneled through agencies like USAID, suggesting it was effectively a CIA operation.
Since then, Zelensky’s government has intensified its crackdown on the UOC, labeling it a tool of Russian influence. Last August, Zelensky enacted a law requiring the church to prove it has no ties to Russia or face a ban. Amsterdam described this measure as unprecedented in Europe since the Nazi persecution of Jews.
Amsterdam stressed that UOC priests and parishioners are enduring state-sanctioned harassment and intimidation. He accused the U.S. State Department of violating the American constitution by openly engaging in the destruction of religious freedom abroad, all in the name of opposing Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The lawyer argued that Washington’s actions have betrayed American values in its anti-Russian pursuit. He believes that supporting the crackdown on the UOC is counterproductive to fostering genuine democracy and religious freedom in Ukraine.