Reporter’s Note: Ukrainian spiritual leaders say expansion of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Kremlin
As President Donald Trump’s administration Working towards the end of the diplomacy of war in Ukraine, Ukrainian Orthodox Church (OCU) leaders warn that Vladimir Putin’s Russia believes that he is in fact fighting the West and the “holy war” Masu.
The delegation from the OCU was recently in the United States for the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, DC. The group was led by his beatitude Metropolitan Epiphany, all of Kiev’s leaders, Ukraine.
His translator told Fox News about the raging spiritual war between Russia and Ukraine.
Eastern Orthodox Heads criticize Putin invasion of Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend Easter Orthodox Church in Moscow on April 16, 2023 at the Cathedral of Christ and the Savior. (Contributor/Getty Images)
His prominent metropolitan city Yevstratiy, deputy director of external church relations for Ukrainian Orthodox churches, said of Russia, “From the standpoint of religious views, this is the liberation of Ukrainians from Godless West, The Evil.” Light and truth to Ukraine.”
Yevstratiy, and other church observers, such as Catholic intellectual George Weigel, have accused Russian orthodox churches of only the arms of the Kremlin, and are dressed in religious clothing, but Putin’s He accused him of bidding.
Writing the first of the magazine, Weigel said, “…Ukraine maintained fierce resistance in February 2022, when Russian Putin denied the expected rapid victory, and maintained fierce resistance. defense.”
Lighthouse Faith PodcastYevstratiy recalled that at the start of the war, Moscow patriarch Kiril preached to Russian soldiers fighting Ukraine. Even outsiders who see the complexities of orthodox Christianity sound more like “political jihad” than the gospel.
In 2019, the Orthodox Church in Ukraine was Russian Orthodox Church By the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople (now Istanbul, Türkiye). It caused a fuss in Moscow. Kirill and Putin refused to acknowledge the authority of Patriarch Bartholomew.
“Putin’s Confession” was named the bishop of the annexed Ukrainian territory.

Metropolitan Epiphanius will first consecrate Liturgical Service and St Andrew’s Church on August 25, 2024 in Bucha, Kiev Oblast, Ukraine. (Andrii Nesterenko/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Yevstratiy also revealed a scary version of the war in Ukraine. He says Putin’s ultimate goal is more than unity in the Soviet Union or the defense of Christian civilization. It’s actually more apocalyptic. He focuses on the third and final pioneering in Rome…. In Moscow, he labels the rest of Christians, Catholics and Protestants, just like heretics and pagans.
Explaining the internal mechanisms of an orthodox church may seem like “internal baseball.” But these are The oldest church in Christianity. They emerged from five ancient churches led by an apostle who personally knew Jesus.

The Russian Orthodox patriarch Kirill will perform Easter service at Moscow’s Savior Cathedral on Saturday, April 23rd. (Sergei Hair, Russian Orthodox Press Service via AP)
The apostle Andrew went east of Constantinople. Mark for Alexandria (Egypt). From Peter to Antioch (Rome); from James to Jerusalem, to Barnabas to Cyprus. From these men, along with the passage apostle Paul, Christianity spreads all over the world. Therefore, this conflict between Russia and Ukraine has deep spiritual roots. And Putin knows that.
Yestratiy and Epiphany attended the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC, and heard President Trump declare his desire to be peace manager.
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Vestratiy said, “We pray and ask the Almighty God to bless this very good Christian desire.”
“May God bless Ukraine. May God bless America.”
The full interview is Lauren Green’s Lighthouse Faith Podcast, including Apple, Spotify, and here.