On February 4, Olena Kovalska, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, and Viktor Yelensky, Head of the State Service of Ukraine on Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience (DESS), met with U.S. Republican Congressman Darrell Issa from California. Congressman Issa is known for his strong connection to Orthodox tradition and a keen interest in inter-Orthodox relations and religious freedom.
This was reported by the DESS.
During the conversation, Viktor Yelensky focused in detail on the current state of inter-Orthodox relations in Ukraine and the attempts by the Russian Federation to use religion as a tool for hybrid warfare, aiming to legitimize armed aggression against Ukraine.
Particular attention was given to the large-scale disinformation campaigns that exploit religious factors to discredit the Ukrainian state internationally.
The participants thoroughly discussed the importance of ensuring religious freedom in Ukraine and highlighted how Russia has been undermining this freedom in the temporarily occupied territories. The conversation also addressed the broader observance of human rights in Ukraine, with particular emphasis on religious rights, as well as the overall situation in the Orthodox world.
DESS Chairman Viktor Yelensky emphasized that Article 35 of the Constitution of Ukraine guarantees freedom of worldview and religion without any restrictions, asserting that freedom of conscience in Ukraine remains inviolable, even amid a full-scale war.
In response, Congressman Issa stressed the fundamental importance of this issue, asserting that religious freedom should never be restricted, as it forms the essential basis of human dignity, existence, and community life.