U.S. President Donald Trump's spiritual advisor, Pastor Mark Burns, arrived in Ukraine and visited cities in Kyiv Oblast liberated from Russian forces in 2022, Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Azman said on March 31.
Azman invited Burns to visit Bucha, Borodianka, and Irpin. Three years ago, Russia's attempts to encircle Kyiv failed after more than a month of heavy fighting, with Moscow's troops retreating from the capital's outskirts.
Hundreds of residents of the three towns were found to have been tortured, raped, and executed by the Russian army.
"The war in Ukraine is bigger than Democrats or Republicans, the Left or the Right. Whether you dislike President Trump or President (Volodymyr) Zelensky, real people are dying here," Burns said on X.
Reflecting on his trip to Kyiv Oblast, Burns listed Russian war crimes, including deported children and raped women, executions of civilians and destruction of multiple churches.
Ukraine's top religious leaders also told him about Russia's systematic religious persecution.
"Yet despite these horrors, Ukraine stands strong as a beacon of religious freedom, welcoming all faiths," Burns said.
The pastor said that Ukrainian soldiers on the front line "are not asking for money" but for more weapons and fighter jets "to shoot down the drones that still fire at civilian buildings, and killing people."
Ukraine has agreed to a U.S.-proposed full 30-day ceasefire, saying on March 11 that Kyiv is ready to take such a step if Russia also agrees to the terms. So far, Russia has refused, instead attempting to extract major concessions from the U.S. in exchange for partial ceasefire agreements.
Mark Burns is a televangelist and pastor of Harvest Praise & Worship Center in South Carolina. He supported Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election and was labeled by Time Magazine as "Donald Trump's Top Pastor."
"Pastor Burns is a man who has the ability to be heard where big decisions are made. And I believe that the voice of truth from Ukraine will be brought to the heart of the new U.S. leadership," Azman said.
Trump has adopted a more critical stance toward Ukraine than his predecessor, former President Joe Biden. The new administration has temporarily paused military and intelligence support for Kyiv while praising the U.S. president's supposedly warm relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Martin Fornusek
(Updated: )
