The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the All-Ukrainian Council for Religious Affairs will join forces "to defend religious freedom" on the international stage

Representatives of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (VSCiRO) are planning a series of “advocacy visits” abroad. The purpose of these trips will be "to inform the international community about the religious situation in Ukraine and to counter Russian aggression."

The decision to conduct these diplomatic missions was made following a meeting between council representatives and Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mariana Betsa. Leaders of various faiths, including the OCU, Greek Catholics, Muslims, Catholics, Protestants, and Jewish organizations, as well as experts from the Institute for Religious Freedom, took part in the discussion.

During the discussion, the parties paid particular attention to the systematic attacks on religious sites and the persecution of clergy in conflict-affected areas. According to representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, such actions by Russia are aimed at destroying Ukrainian identity. In response, participants from the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (AUCCRO) expressed their readiness to actively assist the ministry in the areas of religious diplomacy and countering Russian propaganda.

As a reminder, on June 22, 2026, a delegation from the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (VSciRO) visited Brussels, where it presented to its European counterparts its position on the Ukrainian government’s actions in the religious sphere. Representatives of various faiths described the government’s current policy toward the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) as necessary measures to “protect freedom of religion.”