Floor Remarks by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa
Senate President Pro Tempore
“Report on the Russian Orthodox Church by the Free Russia Foundation”
Friday, September 19, 2025
What I’m going to say – remember the history of Putin saying 20 years ago that the breakup of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical disaster of the 20th century. And, Putin’s goal is to reestablish the Soviet empire, and we see that going on every day with how he is destroying Ukraine.
So, everyone interested in religious freedom in Russia and Ukraine should read the recent report by the Free Russia Foundation.
The Free Russia Foundation is an organization of Russians who want “a free, democratic, peaceful and prosperous Russia reintegrated into the international community as a constructive and positive actor.”
This organization’s recent report, entitled “The Russian Orthodox Church and the War,” demonstrates how this church body supports the ongoing invasion of Ukraine through propaganda, ritual for the invaders, diplomatic manipulation and espionage. Now, doesn’t that seem very odd for a church – any church – to have that as goals?
The Russian Orthodox Church is also actively engaged in suppressing and persecuting other Christian denominations, including Orthodox believers who do not answer to Russia.
It seems shocking to see Russians talk about the main Christian denomination in Russia in this way. But, remember this: after initially persecuting Orthodox believers, Dictator Joseph Stalin co-opted the Russian Orthodox Church to support the Soviet state.
At that time, Russian Orthodox faithful outside of Russia broke all ties with the Soviet-installed patriarch.
Today’s Russian Orthodox Church is dominated by leaders who came of age under the KGB-controlled church structure.
Now, understand this, the current Patriarch of Moscow was a KGB agent. So, it’s no wonder he is so close to Putin.
The Free Russia report documents the Moscow Patriarch’s blessing of the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine.
It quotes the Patriarch’s September 2022 sermon: “Anyone who dies in the performance of military duty sacrifices himself for the sake of others. Therefore, we believe that such a sacrifice washes away all sins previously committed.”
Now, as a Christian, and I hope for any Christian, I find that shocking. So does the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, the first among equals in the Orthodox tradition.
He said of the Moscow Patriarch’s support for Putin and this war: “It is damaging to the prestige of the whole of Orthodoxy, because Orthodoxy doesn’t support war, violence or terrorism.”
There’s been a lot of propaganda claiming that the Russian Orthodox Church is somehow a victim of religious persecution in this war. In fact, it is a leading perpetrator of persecution of fellow Orthodox believers, Evangelicals and other churches.
I had the chance to meet a year ago with 30 church leaders from Ukraine that told how this persecution was going on.
Don’t take my word for it though, but read this report that I have quoted from by these pro-democracy Russians.
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