"A Spiritual Act of Solidarity": Ukraine Prepares Global Prayer for Peace While Ignoring Persecution of the UOC

The Office of the President of Ukraine has announced an initiative to hold a Global Prayer for Ukraine on August 24, 2025 — the country’s Independence Day. An appeal has been made to members of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations, inviting them to engage representatives of all confessions, including international ones. This was reported by Ukrinform.

According to the announcement, the initiative has been endorsed by President Volodymyr Zelensky and will take place as part of Independence Day events and the National Prayer Breakfast. Religious leaders are urged to send official letters abroad, asking clergy around the world to join the prayer in their churches on that day.

“The goal of the initiative is to unite churches and religious communities worldwide in prayer for Ukraine — for the victory of light over darkness, the end of Russian aggression, and the establishment of a just peace,” the President’s Office stated.

The call comes amid ongoing repressions against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church — the only religious organization in the country subject to arrests, raids, revocation of citizenship, legal bans, and a broad media campaign led by state authorities.

Meanwhile, the New York Young Republican Club has announced an upcoming event with Robert Amsterdam, the international legal counsel representing the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The event, titled “Zelensky’s War on Christian Ukraine,” is scheduled for August 5.