Ukraine Church leaders demand ‘truth and justice’ amid diplomatic crisis

‘Even when we receive conflicting signals from different western capitals, we must remain calm, with hearts burning for Ukraine’s victory and with wills of steel,’ said Major Archbishop Shevchuk.

Ukrainian Church and civic leaders in the US affirmed their “unwavering support for continued and meaningful dialogue between the governments of the United States and Ukraine, working towards the goal of a just and lasting peace”.

“True peace can only be achieved through principles of justice, mutual respect and a sincere commitment to diplomacy,” said a statement from the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America on 28 February, also signed by Church groups including the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) Archeparchy of Philadelphia. “In times of heightened tension, it is imperative that leaders remain steadfast in their dedication to serious negotiations and constructive engagement.”

The same day, President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance berated Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, accusing him of a lack of gratitude for US support and threatening to cut support for Kyiv – which they did on Monday.

On Friday, following the ugly encounter at the White House, the Ukrainian Archbishop of Philadelphia Boris Gudziak insisted Ukrainians were “profoundly grateful to the American people and to all people of good will across the world”.

“Your support empowers Ukrainians to defend their God-given dignity, protect innocent lives and uphold the values of the democratic world,” he said, in a statement to the news agency Crux. “This solidarity has strengthened our resilience, enabling a modern-day David to stand against a ruthless Goliath – against shameless aggression and genocide that seek to obliterate our people and undermine international rule of law.”

In a statement on 2 March, the UGCC primate Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk said many were “talking about territories in Ukraine” but insisted that “a peace treaty cannot be signed without truth and justice”.

“Even when we receive conflicting signals from different western capitals, we must remain calm, with hearts burning for Ukraine’s victory and with wills of steel,” he said.

Marking the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States Archbishop Paul Gallagher said the war had “inflicted immense suffering on Ukraine”.

“The Holy See is deeply concerned about the tragic humanitarian consequences of this conflict and is particularly committed to facilitating the repatriation of children, while encouraging the release of prisoners, especially seriously wounded soldiers and civilians,” he said, in an address to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Earlier last week, as he continued a visit to the US and Canada, Archbishop Shevchuk described the “turbulent times” of international politics. “In Washington, D.C., these days felt as if a skyscraper had collapsed after an earthquake, leaving a cloud of dust that covered everything,” he said on 25 March. “There is much uncertainty, fear and disorientation.”

Speaking in Canada the same day, Shevchuk said that “a just peace for Ukraine requires not only material support, but also an unwavering commitment to the defence of the truth” against “Russian propaganda [that] has sought to erase our national identity, convincing the West that Ukraine is a ‘failed state’”.

“Ukrainians will never revert to the colonial subjugation. Ukrainians will never submit to the genocidal policies. Our people will not give in to their cultural, religious and social freedom. Ukrainians will never sacrifice their children.”

Ukrainians defiant on ‘shameful’ anniversary of Russian invasion

In the court of King Donald

Fr Vyacheslav Grynevych SAC, the director of charitable agency of the Latin-rite Church in Ukraine Caritas-Spes, said it was “amazing to see how strange our world can sometimes be”.

“We see, we know, we experience the attacks from Russia,” he told The Tablet. “You suddenly get totally different information, as if we are those who started this whole aggression.”

He continued: “The one thing that we need most is hope – and it comes from the spiritual life. Every day, we must wake up and to do those things that have to be done, not to succumb to an illusion that somebody will save us here. It is our reality. Many people feel that we will remain alone. But on the other hand, we cannot give in to depression, we have to continue, including tending to the humanitarian needs.”

Fr Grynevych emphasised the importance of psychological support for victims of the war. “The saddest things are that many people have lost their hope, they people don’t see the sense of life, don’t have any goal of life,” he said.

Although Caritas-Spes was adapting to declining international aid – and in particular the withdrawal of USAID funding – he said this was “very difficult” for psychological support.

“If you have humanitarian projects offering psychological support for children, you cannot stop the meetings and just say: ‘Oh, sorry, we have no more funds to continue this…’ Because, if you are with people and build relationship with people, who are in need, you also have the responsibility to finish that plan that you had prepared.

“The other problem is because on our team, we have very well-trained people, so we have to think what to do with these people, you cannot simply say: ‘OK, guys, maybe after three months you can come back to your work.’ This is a big stress.”

Such work was necessary “to change society – to understand, how we can meet all together with our different experiences”, he said. “I think it is very important, because the emergency needs were very visible during the first days of war, and now they are also very visible, but now it is apparent how war goes deeper and deeper into human heart.”

Fr Grynevych said observers were keen to forget about Ukraine or were “tired of hearing about the war”. He asked: “Who can be tired? Ukrainians can be tired – tired to hear the information about the neighbours that you are never going to see in future, about children who didn’t have the opportunity to realise themselves in this world, these are the things you can be tired of…

“Even if it’s difficult to listen, even if it’s difficult all those pictures of destruction, please, remember us.”

The end game in Ukraine

Left in the cold

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