The AUCCRO and government officials discussed preparations for the National Prayer Breakfast and clergy booking issues

Representatives of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (AUCCRO) met with the leadership of the Office of the President of Ukraine, DESS and the Ministry of Education to discuss key issues of state-church relations. The main topics of the dialogue were the organization of the National Prayer Breakfast, reservation of clergy and state recognition of diplomas of religious educational institutions.

According to the AUCCIRO information resource, the event was attended by Elena Kovalskaia, Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Victor Yelensky, Head of DESS, and Nikolai Trofimenko, Deputy Minister of Education and Science. During the meeting Olena Kovalska informed about the National Prayer Breakfast under the patronage of the President of Ukraine and discussed with the participants organizational aspects of preparation for the event scheduled for 2026.

A significant part of the discussion was devoted to the issues of mobilization and social security. Viktor Yelensky spoke about updating the list of religious organizations that are classified as critical infrastructure, which allows for the reservation of clergy. Special attention was paid to the status of ministers providing spiritual care for Ukrainian refugees abroad.

In the field of education, the parties discussed the work of the MES commission on the state recognition of diplomas of spiritual educational institutions. Positive interaction between the Ministry and the Public Council under the MES on cooperation with religious organizations was noted. At the end of the meeting the representatives of the AUCCRO announced a number of solemn events, which are planned for this summer together with the Ukrainian Bible Society.

We shall remind you that earlier we reported that the State Service of Ukraine on Ethno-politics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS) confirmed the discrimination of UOC priests in the issue of reservation of clergy from mobilization.