Volodymyr Zelenskyy: “We are fighting for the freedom to choose one’s faith”

During the National Prayer Breakfast, held on August 23, 2026, in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a statement on the importance of religious freedom and the fight against foreign interference in the affairs of Ukrainian religious denominations. The head of state emphasized that Ukraine’s key objective is to protect citizens’ right to freedom of religion without pressure from the Russian leadership.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted that Russia seeks to control religious life in Ukraine by attempting to dictate which churches have the right to exist and which must cease their activities. ““Our entire struggle, in particular, is also about this—the human right to speak with God however one wishes and wherever one wishes,” the president noted.

In his speech, the head of state also expressed gratitude to the clergy, who are actively supporting the population amid a full-scale conflict. He emphasized that many parishes have become true centers of assistance for Ukrainians, where church buildings are used as shelters or classrooms for children. Zelenskyy added that internal disagreements between religious denominations are taking a back seat in the face of the need to defend truth and peace.

However, in his speech, the president did not explain how these statements on freedom of religion relate to current government initiatives aimed at restricting the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

As a reminder, Vladimir Zelensky previously introduced a package of bills aimed at legally enshrining the status of national shrines and strengthening criminal liability for their intentional damage. The initiative is intended to ensure a special legal regime for sites of exceptional historical, cultural, and spiritual value to Ukrainian statehood.