Throughout Russian history, the Russian Orthodox Church has played a central role in legitimizing state power. Today, the Kremlin weaponizes the Russian Orthodox Church to justify its war in Ukraine, undermine Ukrainian identity, and silence dissent. 

At the 2026 International Religious Summit, held February 1–3 in Washington, D.C., NED hosted a session featuring a powerful lineup: Russian Orthodox dissident priests, Ukrainian human rights activists, a Ukrainian Baptist pastor, and leading academics. Moderated by Sarah Makin, former senior advisor on international religious freedom to President Trump, the addressed repression in Russia and occupied territories, persecution of religious practices and beliefs, and the human rights costs of making the church subservient to an autocratic government, with implications for religious freedom around the world.

Speakers:

00:06​ Bridget Millman — Senior Program Officer, National Endowment for Democracy

01:27​ Sarah Makin — Moderator, Makin Strategies

12:46​ Sergei Chapnin — Orthodox Christian Studies Center, Fordham University

21:50​ Dr. Elizabeth H. Prodromou — International Studies, Boston College

33:42​ Archimandrite Prof. Cyril Hovorun — Huffington Ecumenical Institute, Loyola Marymount University

43:30​ Rev. Dr. Andrey Kordochkin — Mir Vsem

48:28​ Dr. Vira Iastrebova — Eastern Human Rights Group

57:31​ Rev. Mykhailo Brytsyn — Mission Eurasia

1:05:59​ Dr. Dmytro Koval — Truth Hounds

The National Endowment for Democracy is a private, nonprofit foundation dedicated to the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world. In the last year, NED made more than 1,900 grants to support the projects of non-governmental groups abroad who are working for democratic goals in more than 90 countries. Learn more at https://www.ned.org/​

The Kremlin’s Use of the Russian Orthodox Church in the War Against Ukraine