The head of the OCU met with a delegation of experts from leading US think tanks and conservative organizations
According to the press service of the OCU, the meeting was attended by the Deputy Head of the Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Yevstratiy of Bila Tserkva.
They discussed support for Ukraine in countering full-scale Russian aggression, the pernicious ideology of the “Russian world,” the activities of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations, the protection of religious freedom and Christian values, the importance of prayer in society, and other topical issues.
“The aggressor country and its church structure, which pay lip service to Christian values, actually do the opposite. They bring death, suffering and destruction. Thus, we have no choice. If we do not defend ourselves, they will exterminate our people and our Church. However, as Christians, we firmly rely on God, pray to Him and believe He will help us by creating such conditions in the world that the Kremlin tyrant will be forced to cease his aggression against Ukraine. This, of course, does not mean we should give up. No, as God's instruments, we must work selflessly to protect the freedom He has given us. In this struggle, we also hope for further assistance from our loyal friends from the United States and other countries,” said the Head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine during the meeting.
Prior to this, on December 4, members of the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO) met with a delegation of representatives of the US leading conservative think tanks and public and religious organizations. The meeting was held at the Metropolitan House of the National Conservation Area “St. Sophia of Kyiv” in Kyiv.
During the meeting, representatives of the Council of Churches expressed their gratitude for the assistance provided by the United States to Ukraine in repelling Russian aggression. They discussed the current state of religious freedom in Ukraine and the activities of churches and religious organizations during the war, including the humanitarian aspects of serving the Ukrainian people.
