U.S. politician thanks Vance and Luna for supporting UOC believers

Catherine Whitford and Anna Paulina Luna. Photo: uoj.news

The leader of the youth wing of the U.S. Republican Party, Сatherine Whiteford, thanked American politicians for publicly supporting believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). In a statement posted on X, she commented on the situation surrounding UOC churches in the villages of Pryiutivka and Kuzmyn, pointing out that parishioners had committed no wrongdoing.

“What exactly is the crime that these parishioners of the St. George Church in Priyutivka village, and the Nativity church in Kuzmyn have committed? Being in the "wrong" church in the eyes of the government,” Whiteford wrote.

The politician expressed gratitude to Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna and U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance for their position on protecting religious freedom. “I am very thankful for the leadership Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and Vice President J. D. Vance on this issue. This isn't politics. This is basic human rights,” she emphasized.

Earlier, Anna Paulina Luna said she expects official explanations from Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna, regarding the ongoing attempted seizure of the Nativity of Christ Church in the village of Kuzmyn in western Ukraine.

In addition, Whiteford posted a video of a speech by J. D. Vance recorded in April 2024, in which he spoke about persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the authorities’ plans to pass a law that could lead to the closure of many communities. “Perhaps some churches are too close to Russia. But you don't deprive an entire religious community of the religious freedom because some of its adherents do not agree with you about the relevant conflict of the day,” Vance said, stressing that the destruction of a Christian community in Ukraine would be “a shame” for the United States and its allies.

As the UOJ wrote, political expert Kostiantyn Bondarenko stated that the issue of persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church would be raised actively in the United States, and that the Ukrainian authorities would have to answer for it.

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