“Trump’s confessor”: Reports of church persecution in Ukraine are “fake”

Mark Burns (left) with Presidential Office Head Andriy Yermak. Photo: Presidential Office's press service

U.S. pastor Mark Burns, whom Ukraine’s Chief Rabbi Moshe Azman referred to as “Trump’s spiritual advisor,” said in an interview with Kyiv Independent that any claims of Church persecution in Ukraine are “fake.” According to Burns, the religious leaders he met during his visit to Ukraine made no such complaints.

“And so my support for Ukraine is a call to every Republican, every conservative, every American, and those around the world who, like me, have been brainwashed by fake news media about Ukraine. For instance, fake news suggested that Ukraine hated churches, Ukraine hated ministries, that they intentionally destroyed ministries. Well, that is a bold-faced lie, because I was in the midst of some of Ukraine's greatest spiritual leaders from all different sects, religious organizations, in one room in Kyiv, and they all have the same common ground – they have the right to practice their faith in Ukraine,” Burns stated.

The pastor arrived in Ukraine on March 30 at the invitation of Moshe Azman. Under the supervision of the Presidential Office, he was taken on a guided visit to Bucha and Irpin and held two official meetings: one with Andriy Yermak at the Presidential Office, and another with representatives of religious organizations. The confessional leaders present assured the pastor that Ukraine is a model of religious freedom. Notably, representatives of the biggest denomination in Ukraine – the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) – were not included in the meeting with Burns.

As a reminder, after Donald Trump’s election, the newly appointed U.S. Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, stated that while Ukrainian authorities speak of religious freedom, they are in fact closing churches.

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