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The Council of Churches condemns Russia's abuse of religious sentiments in its aggressive and unjust war against Ukraine

On April 11, 2023, the Chairman of the Parliament of Ukraine, Ruslan Stefanchuk, met with the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO). There are a number of issues of church-state relations in the context of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine were discussed.

UCCRO unanimously declared:

  • the inadmissibility of the activities of any organizations in Ukraine, including religious ones, whose centers and leadership are located in the Russian Federation;
  • the inevitability of punishment for all persons involved in aiding the enemy and treason, regardless of which denomination and church they belong to and whether they have any rank;
  • equality before the law of representatives of all religions;

The UCCRO members called on the governmental and law enforcement agencies to do everything possible to prevent destabilization of the social and political situation in Ukraine.

The participants of the meeting emphasized that in matters of the National Reserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" the Ukrainian state primarily protects the interests of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, which consist in ensuring that the Lavra functions precisely as an Orthodox monastery open to Ukrainians.

The participants of the meeting also noted that Ukraine is known in the world for its high level of religious freedom, religious pluralism, the absence of a "state church," the equality of all religious organizations before the law, developed inter-religious dialogue and cooperation between different churches.

During the war, caused by Russian unjustified aggression, a high level of freedom of religion is maintained in Ukraine, there are no religious persecutions, and democratic institutions and procedures continue to operate. 

The heads of denominations and representatives of the authorities noted the importance of further development of relations between the Ukrainian state and churches and religious organizations of Ukraine on the basis of partnership for the increase of the common good for the Ukrainian people.

The meeting was attended by the Head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience Viktor Yelenskyi, Minister of the Internal Affairs of Ukraine Ihor Klymenko, First Deputy Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Serhiy Andrushchenko and representatives of the Office of the Parliament of Ukraine.