The Nation-State Policies and New Challenges for the Orthodox Church in Ukraine

After the Ukrainian Parliament adopted Law 3894-IX in August 2024— legislation that effectively paves the way for banning the legal operation of structural units of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC)—it became evident that the Ukrainian authorities are pursuing the removal of the UOC from the country’s religious landscape. This article examines the key factors leading to the adoption of this law, with particular attention to the developments following the Maidan Revolution of 2014. Aligning with broader nation-state policies, Ukrainian authorities increasingly sought to marginalize the UOC, perceiving it as a ‘non-patriotic’ institution incompatible with the vision of a sovereign national church. These efforts intensified after the UOC declined to participate in the Poroshenko-led initiative to create a ‘united’ and ‘independent’ Orthodox Church, which culminated in the establishment of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) in December 2018. Nonetheless, it was the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022 that became the most decisive catalyst for state actions against the UOC—despite the Church’s clear and consistent support for Ukraine and its Armed Forces. The ensuing developments have only deepened the fractures within Ukraine’s Orthodox community, exacerbating inter-Orthodox divisions and complicating prospects for religious reconciliation in the country.