Ben Shapiro Confronts Zelensky Over Christian Persecution and Forced Conscription

Ben Shapiro sat down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky this week in war-torn Kyiv, pressing him on two issues the mainstream media won’t touch the crackdown on religious freedom and forced conscription of Ukrainian men into the military.

Shapiro, the first major U.S. media figure to raise these topics to Zelensky’s face, opened with a direct challenge: “There have been a lot of accusations that there’s been a crackdown on religious freedom in Ukraine, particularly with regard to the Russian Orthodox Church.”

Zelensky responded by boasting about a recent meeting with leaders of various denominations, claiming Ukraine hosts the largest church council in Europe. But behind the smiles and interfaith photo ops, Zelensky admitted that churches tied to Moscow are being targeted, justifying it by calling the Russian Orthodox Church “another agency of the KGB.”

What he didn’t deny? The Ukrainian government’s 2024 law that bans religious institutions with ties to the Russian Orthodox Church, a law widely criticized by Human Rights Watch for its broad and vague wording leaving plenty of room for abuse.

Zelensky insists no churches were shut down. But the truth is this: the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has been under surveillance, raided, and publicly smeared, all under the guise of “fighting Russian influence.” This isn’t just religious policy it’s state intimidation cloaked in war-time rhetoric.

Shapiro didn’t stop there. He grilled Zelensky on reports that young men are being forcibly dragged off the streets and pushed into military service, something Vice President JD Vance previously warned about during a tense Oval Office exchange.

“There have been reports online that people are being picked up off the streets... and recruited into services,” Shapiro asked.

Zelensky’s answer? It’s not coercion, it’s “mobilization under martial law.” He insisted most soldiers are volunteers and downplayed the disturbing videos of men being rounded up, saying those were “singular cases.”

But here’s the reality:

• Ukraine’s martial law has enabled mass conscription, often without transparency or due process.

• Thousands of Ukrainian men have fled the country or gone into hiding to avoid being forced to the front lines.

• And Zelensky’s government has increased crackdowns on those who resist, labeling dissenters as unpatriotic or worse.

Zelensky says these aren’t “massive” problems. But when 800,000 men are under arms, and international watchdogs question your treatment of religious groups and civilians, it’s no longer just an internal affair it’s a question of basic human rights.

For a leader praised as a symbol of democracy, Zelensky is acting more like a wartime autocrat, using national crisis to justify bans on religious organizations, aggressive conscription tactics, and total control over media narratives.

Thankfully, Trump’s administration isn’t buying the act. President Trump and Vice President Vance have increasingly voiced concern about Ukraine’s drift into authoritarianism especially as Zelensky resists peace efforts and continues demanding billions in taxpayer-funded aid.

Shapiro’s interview was a rare moment of truth in a sea of scripted headlines. Someone finally asked the questions Americans and the world deserve answers to.

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