In an exclusive interview in Kyiv, Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro questioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about allegations of cracking down on the Russian Orthodox Church and forcibly conscripting men into the military. Zelensky defended Ukraine's religious policies as efforts to eliminate Russian influence and described mobilization as a necessary wartime measure. The exchange, originally published in April and reprinted as a highlight of 2025, underscores challenges in Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia.
Ben Shapiro conducted a face-to-face interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in war-torn Kyiv, marking one of the first times an American media figure pressed the leader on issues of religious freedom and military conscription.
Shapiro began by addressing accusations of a crackdown on the Russian Orthodox Church. 'There have been a lot of accusations that there’s been a crackdown on religious freedom in Ukraine, particularly with regard to the Russian Orthodox Church,' Shapiro said. 'Maybe you can respond to the accusations that there’s a restriction on religious freedom with regard to Russian Orthodox in Ukraine.'
Zelensky responded by noting a recent meeting Shapiro had witnessed with leaders of 15 religious sects from the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations. 'We have a meeting like that a couple of times per year, and I truly visit some of the churches’ sites,' Zelensky said. 'I believe that what Ukraine has is the largest council of churches in Europe. All of our churches are united—different religions, different believers, and everyone is united.'
While denying general pressure on religious institutions, Zelensky acknowledged actions against churches linked to Russian intelligence. 'The Moscow church is just another agency of the KGB,' he stated. 'Everyone knows that Russia’s special services are in control of the church.' He explained that a 2024 law bans religious organizations with ties to the Russian Orthodox Church to prevent Moscow's influence. Human Rights Watch has expressed concerns about the law's broad scope, which could affect the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, founded in 1990 after splitting from the Russian Orthodox Church.
Standing outside the Saint Sophia Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site with foundations laid in 1011, Zelensky emphasized Ukraine's ancient Christian heritage. 'Sophia is older than Russia’s capital city and any churches they have,' he said. 'Nobody closed anything or anyone. But it can’t be the case that Russia’s KGB is in control of the church in Ukraine.'
Shapiro then raised reports of men being 'picked up off the streets' for recruitment, a claim echoed by U.S. Vice President JD Vance during Zelensky's March Oval Office visit. Zelensky framed this as 'military mobilization' under martial law following Russia's 2022 invasion. 'The country is at war,' he said. 'That is why we do have mobilization.'
He highlighted that 600,000 to 800,000 Ukrainians volunteered for service and downplayed forced recruitment as 'not massive' or the 'main thing that describes Ukraine today.' Zelensky stressed transparency and anti-corruption efforts: 'We shouldn’t be hiding that like a corruption... Ukraine clearly shows that it is fighting on a constant basis against aspects like that. But those are kind of singular cases.'
