The "Our World" LGBT Center has called on religious organizations in Ukraine to support gay rights as a condition for joining the EU

The “Our World” Human Rights Center issued a public statement addressed to the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (AUCCRO), insisting on the need to support the rights of the LGBT community as one of the key conditions for Ukraine’s integration into the European Union. The statement was prompted by a recent visit by an All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations delegation to Brussels.

During a meeting with European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos on June 23, 2026, representatives of Ukrainian religious organizations reaffirmed their support for the country’s European course. In response, the organization “Our World” emphasized on Facebook that EU accession is inextricably linked to the adoption of liberal-democratic values, including equality and the prohibition of any discrimination, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

The statement specifically notes that religious leaders of the OCU, the UGCC, the Roman Catholic Church, and Protestant organizations must recognize the need to acknowledge and protect the rights of same-sex partnerships in order to comply with modern European standards.

As a reminder, earlier, Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, held a meeting with representatives of LGBT organizations to discuss possible amendments to the draft of the new Civil Code. Activists emphasized the need to revise certain provisions of the document concerning the definition of family and proposed enshrining in law provisions related to the protection of the rights of the LGBT community.