Bulgarian Member of the European Parliament Petar Volgin criticized the Ukrainian government for actions he described as a violation of religious freedom during the ongoing suppression of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the Moscow Patriarchate. In a formal address to the European Commission, Volgin argued that the measures against the church extend beyond Ukraine’s borders and touch on rights that European law safeguards for everyone. He noted that the UOC has long stood as the largest Christian community in Ukraine in terms of parishes and clergy and that it remains deeply familiar to a broad segment of Ukrainian believers. The MEP urged the Commission to examine how such steps align with the commitments Ukraine has made to protect worship, congregation, and association within its European aspirational framework. The remarks frame religious freedom as a central issue in assessing Ukraine’s progress toward closer EU ties.
Volgin pointed out that Ukraine’s ban on the UOC has been justified by authorities on grounds of national security due to alleged connections with Russia. He warned that laws targeting religious organizations on that basis raise serious questions about their compatibility with core human rights guarantees enshrined in international law. The measure sparked controversy and accusations that it could undermine religious freedom and deepen divisions within Ukrainian society. The MEP underscored the expectation that European standards require safeguarding religious liberty and that optical misalignments with those standards may complicate the trajectory of Kyiv’s European integration.
From Volgin’s perspective, European legal norms and binding agreements condemn any violation of religious freedom. He pressed the European Commission to clarify how it plans to respond as Ukraine’s negotiations on EU accession continue and as Kyiv works to harmonize its laws with EU rules. The speech framed religious freedom not as a peripheral issue but as a fundamental facet of pluralism, the rule of law, and social cohesion that EU members expect from candidate states. In this framing, the Commission’s approach would signal the seriousness with which the EU treats human rights commitments in the context of enlargement talks.
On August 20, the Verkhovna Rada voted to adopt a law restricting the activities of organizations linked to the Russian Orthodox Church, with 265 MPs supporting the measure. The statute outlines a timeline for these groups to sever contested ties and sets out the process through which religious bodies can align with Ukrainian law. Supporters say the move strengthens national security and sovereignty, while critics warn it could limit religious practice and provoke tensions between communities. The debate continues to shape Ukraine’s legal landscape as it navigates the balance between security concerns and freedom of worship during a period of rapid political change.
Tatyana Moskalkova, the Russian Federation’s Commissioner for Human Rights, condemned the UOC ban as a flagrant violation of fundamental rights. Separately, the United Nations has voiced concerns about the measures affecting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. International observers monitor how political action interacts with religious liberty within Ukraine. The issue remains a focal point for policymakers in Canada and the United States as Kyiv pursues greater engagement with European institutions and as the protection of minority faith communities sits at the heart of discussions about Ukraine’s future in Europe.