A bipartisan group of US lawmakers introduced the Countering Russia’s War on Faith Act in both the House and Senate on Saturday, April 25, aiming to hold Moscow accountable for the systemic persecution of religious groups in Ukraine.
The legislation, led by Helsinki Commission Chairman Joe Wilson (R-SC) and several colleagues, requires the Secretaries of State and Defense to provide joint reports on Russian efforts to suppress religious freedom.
It also directs the president to impose sanctions on foreign individuals found complicit in these violations. “War criminal Putin seeks to prevent free worship and crushes any faith not subservient to its state-run church,” Rep. Wilson stated, highlighting that over 600 places of worship have been destroyed during the invasion.
Supporters of the bill, including Senators John Kennedy and Sheldon Whitehouse, emphasized that the Russian military deliberately targets clergy and believers who do not align with the Kremlin-allied Russian Orthodox Church.
Congressman Steve Cohen added that the legislation ensures these human rights violations remain a focal point of US foreign policy, particularly in territories currently under Russian occupation.
This legislative push for accountability comes amid a tense debate in Washington over economic pressure on the Kremlin. Recently, the US Treasury Department faced criticism for issuing General License 134B, which provided a temporary 30-day waiver for Russian oil sales to stabilize global markets.
President Volodymyr Zelensky strongly condemned such relief, warning on April 19 that every dollar from Russian oil acts as “money for war,” providing direct funding for the thousands of drones and missiles launched at Ukraine each week.
As the US administration balances global energy concerns with the need for strict sanctions, the new religious freedom bill signals an effort by Congress to expand the scope of consequences for Russian aggression beyond the battlefield and into the realm of human rights and fundamental liberties.