On January 29, 2025, a delegation from the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO) began its visit to London, United Kingdom, with a meeting with a group of British parliamentarians representing the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief. The meeting took place in the Parliament building.
During the meeting, UCCRO representatives briefed parliamentarians on the horrors of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine and the spiritual and humanitarian efforts of Ukrainian churches and religious organizations in supporting both defenders and civilians in the midst of war.
The representative of the UCCRO Chairman, deputy head of the All-Ukrainian Union of Evangelical Christian-Baptist Churches (AUCECB), Bishop Igor Bandura, said:"For us this meeting is not just a diplomatic exchange; it is a testament to the deep historical and moral ties between our nations. The United Kingdom has long been a defender of human rights, democracy, and freedom of conscience principles that Ukraine is now fighting to uphold in the face of brutal aggression. Religious communities have always been bridges of peace, solidarity, and moral leadership. In times of war, these values become even more vital. We look to our British partners not just for support, but for strategic cooperation in ensuring that faith remains a source of strength, not a target of persecution".
Religious leaders shared their insights with British parliamentarians on the state of religious freedom in Ukraine and the challenges faced by different denominations during the war. The UCCRO delegation specifically drew the attention of the British partners to religious persecution and crimes against humanity committed by Russia in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Representatives of churches and religious organizations called on British parliamentarians to continue to support Ukraine in its quest for a just peace and security guarantees.
The UCCRO delegation's visit to London will include participation in a round table discussion at Chatnam House, meetings with UK government officials and parliamentarians, as well as meetings with religious and civil society leaders.
The delegation includes Bishop Igor Bandura (AUCECB), Representative of the UCCRO Chairman, Metropolitan Yevstratiy (Orthodox Church of Ukraine), Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church), Bishop Anatoliy Kozachok (Ukrainian Pentecostal Church), Bishop Stanislav Nosov (Seventh-day Adventist Church in Ukraine), Father Ruslan Mykhalkiv (Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine), Pastor Anatoliy Raychynets (Ukrainian Bible Society), Gennady Bilorytsky, Assistant to the Chief Rabbi of Kyiv and Ukraine (Union of Jewish Religious Organizations of Ukraine), Oleksandr Zaiets (Institute for Religious Freedom).