The Washington Post reports:

When JD Vance became the Republican nominee for vice president, a speech he gave in April condemning the Ukrainian government for what he claimed was an “assault on traditional Christian communities” became a rallying cry for lobbyists hired by a lawyer of an ally of the Russian Orthodox patriarch.

“We commend Vance for taking a strong position on this issue and urge you to follow suit,” said a July 17 email sent to lawmakers on Capitol Hill by one of the lobbyists.

The email was just one of dozens in a campaign portraying Kyiv as anti-Christian that six congressional staffers say is aimed at undermining military support for Ukraine — an effort that is set to intensify after the Ukrainian parliament passed a law on Aug. 20 that bans religious organizations with ties to Russia. The legislation establishes a legal framework that, according to religious experts, could effectively close down the Ukrainian branch of the Orthodox Church connected to Moscow.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, or UOC-MP, has deep historical ties to the Russian Orthodox Church, which many U.S. and Ukrainian officials say has been an instrument of Russian foreign policy. The war has brought the church’s deep sympathy for Russia into stark relief, and Ukraine has launched criminal proceedings against dozens of UOC clergymen for allegedly assisting Russia, including collecting intelligence on the Ukrainian military and on the movement of weapons, according to Ukraine’s Security Service.

A key element of communications between the lobbyists and lawmakers was the suggestion that the lawmakers should make further aid to Ukraine conditional on preserving the UOC, according to three Republican congressional staffers who spoke on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly. [Continue reading…]