On June 11, 2025, in Kyiv, the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO) held a meeting with the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, to discuss current issues of church-state relations and ways to strengthen cooperation between religious communities and the executive branch of government.
In his address, the Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to the representatives of various religious denominations for their spiritual and social service, and for their assistance to those affected by the war.
“From the first days of the Russian invasion, churches and religious organizations became a center of unity and solidarity for Ukrainians in resisting the aggressor,” emphasized Prime Minister Shmyhal.
He specifically acknowledged the vital role of military chaplains in supporting Ukraine’s defenders. The Prime Minister also highlighted the extensive work of volunteers from religious organizations in communities across the country, particularly in frontline areas where needs are especially urgent.
Shmyhal underscored the need to strengthen spiritual support for the Ukrainian Defense Forces and to accelerate the appointment of chaplains by churches and religious organizations.
He also drew attention to the important initiative to create a system of medical chaplaincy and shared updates on the relevant legislative process.
In their remarks, religious leaders:
- Thanked the Prime Minister and the Government for addressing key issues related to the activities of churches and religious organizations, including improving the legal framework for military chaplaincy and simplifying procedures for importing humanitarian aid for displaced persons, war-affected regions, and vulnerable groups;
- Emphasized the diverse social ministries of religious communities in the context of the war and Ukraine’s post-war recovery, offering proposals to enhance collaboration with the Ministry of Social Policy, Ministry of Veterans Affairs, and other state institutions;
- Highlighted the need to expedite the implementation of Cabinet Resolution No. 76 regarding the deferral of mobilization for clergy and received updates on its current status;
- Stressed the importance of pastoral care for Ukrainian refugees and the diaspora abroad, commended the positive steps taken by the newly established Ministry of Unity in this area, and requested a resolution of the legal status of clergy serving Ukrainian congregations abroad for extended periods;
- Addressed economic aspects of religious organizations’ work, including spiritual and social services, and received updates on the draft government resolution regarding the free use of religious property and Ukraine’s preparations for the 2025–2026 winter season;
- Emphasized the need for stronger state support for the institution of the family, the development of national family programs, and effective measures to protect public morality;
- Shared information about AUCCRO’s international engagement and suggested ways to strengthen cooperation with Ukrainian diplomatic missions abroad.
Participants of the meeting noted that there remain many shared challenges and opportunities for fruitful cooperation between religious communities and government authorities in the name of Ukraine’s victory, national recovery, and the building of a better future for generations to come.
Attending the meeting were: Chairman of UCCRO and head of the All-Ukrainian Union of Churches of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, Bishop Valerii Antonyuk; Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and All Ukraine (Orthodox Church of Ukraine); Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church); Deputy Chair of the Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops of Ukraine, Bishop Vitaliy Kryvytskyi; Senior Bishop Anatoliy Kozachok (Ukrainian Pentecostal Church); Bishop Stanislav Nosov (Seventh-day Adventist Church); Senior Bishop Oleksandr Zaitsev (Ukrainian Evangelical Church); Bishop Marcos Hovhannisyan (Armenian Apostolic Church in Ukraine); Bishop Vyacheslav Horpynchuk (Ukrainian Lutheran Church); Supreme Mufti of Ukraine, Sheikh Ahmed Tamim (RAMU); Mufti Ayder Rustamov (DUMARK); and other representatives of UCCRO member denominations.
Government representatives in attendance included: Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Oleg Nemchinov; Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine Oksana Zholnovych; Chairman of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Affairs and Freedom of Conscience Viktor Yelenskyi; and others.