Dumenko to German ambassador: Law targeting UOC also applies to other groups
Epifaniy Dumenko sought to defend Ukraine’s law restricting religious organizations during a meeting with the German ambassador.
The head of the OCU, Epifaniy Dumenko, received German Ambassador to Ukraine Boris Ruge at his residence, where he explained that the law restricting religious organizations in Ukraine applies to any structures linked to the Russian Federation.
During the meeting, the OCU leader sought to justify the Ukrainian legislation. He claimed that the restrictions established by the law apply to any religious organization affiliated with the aggressor state, not just one denomination. Dumenko, however, made no mention of the fact that only UOC religious organizations have been officially designated as affiliated with Russia.
The two also discussed the OCU’s integration into the World Council of Churches, the work of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches, and humanitarian projects run by the German Johanniter organization. Dumenko thanked Germany for its assistance and told the diplomat about his recent visit to Berlin.
As the UOJ previously reported, Ukrainian lawmaker Mykyta Poturaiev acknowledged that the authorities had adopted the law targeting the UOC amid pressure from the West.
