Novinsky on Carlson’s show: U.S. funds support Church persecutors

The interview of Fr. Vadym Novinsky with Tucker Carlson. Photo: Carlson's YouTube channel

On May 23, 2025, former deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, protodeacon of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Vadym Novinsky stated in an interview with Tucker Carlson that a significant portion of American aid is used not to support the people, but for the persecution of the canonical Church.

According to him, the Ukrainian authorities not only ignore the rights of believers but also deliberately use external resources to destroy the UOC – the largest and only canonical Church in the country.

“It would be good if the money that comes in was not spent on supporting those who seize our temples. And this is the only canonical Church in Ukraine, the largest denomination, a thousand-year-old Church,” emphasized Novinsky.

Commenting on Carlson's question about what he would say to the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States Mike Johnson and other Christians in American power, Novinsky stated that aid should benefit ordinary Ukrainians:

“I would like to wish that the aid and funds provided continue to be given to the Ukrainian people. Because right now Ukrainians are fighting for survival. They are fighting for the survival of their families,” he said.

He also noted the gap between the real life of the people and the interests of the Ukrainian political elite.

“You must understand that the Ukrainian authorities live in parallel realities. The Ukrainian people think about how to survive, how to feed their families, how to be happy. And this is a completely different reality for the Ukrainian authorities,” the protodeacon noted.

“The national idea of the Ukrainian elite is to steal money and spend it abroad. It would be great if the funds sent were spent efficiently and used to help people. And for that, ultimately, we need to monitor how the money is spent and how it is used, so that it truly serves the people, and not the Ukrainian elite,” he said. 

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the protodeacon and former MP told the American journalist about the scale of the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

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