Release of Metropolitan Arseniy – result of U.S. pressure, Greek media say
The Greek Orthodox outlet reports that the decisive factor in the hierarch’s case was the stance taken by American Orthodox public and political figures.
The recent release of Metropolitan Arseniy of Sviatohirsk from custody and his transfer to round-the-clock house arrest was not merely a judicial decision, but the result of intense and coordinated political pressure from the United States. This was reported by the Greek Orthodox publication Romfea.
The outlet refers to a statement by international lawyer Robert Amsterdam, published on the social media platform X. According to him, the release of the Ukrainian hierarch was the outcome of a broad campaign in which the American side played the leading role.
Amsterdam publicly thanked all participants in the “UOC Congressional Day of Action” – a targeted lobbying effort within the U.S. Congress – and also mentioned Republican politicians Catherine Whiteford and Stefano Forte. According to Romfea, the very fact that these individuals were named indicates that the hierarch’s case was brought to decision-making centers in Washington.
The Greek publication emphasizes that when the U.S. Congress – the principal sponsor of Ukraine’s defense efforts – raises concerns about religious freedom, Kyiv is compelled to respond. The involvement of figures with access to the American political arena transformed what had been a local court case into an international diplomatic issue, and the continued detention of the metropolitan was becoming a political liability for the Zelensky government.
As a reminder, on February 25 the Chechelivskyi District Court of Dnipro changed the preventive measure for the abbot of the Sviatohirsk Lavra from detention in custody to round-the-clock house arrest until April 25, 2026. Metropolitan Arseniy had spent nearly two years behind bars – since April 25, 2024.
