As Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians accompany US-brokered peace talks that have not produced a breakthrough, Ukraine’s religious leaders warn that failure to halt Russia and hold it accountable will expand the war to Europe. Source: OSV News.
The Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organisations (UCCRO) – whose members include Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church – issued a statement on November 29 condemning “another massive terrorist attack” on Kyiv and other regions of Ukraine.
The November 29 missile and drone strikes followed Russia’s recent attacks on a number of Ukrainian cities, killing dozens of civilians – including several children – and destroying homes, hospitals, schools and other civilian infrastructure, in violation of international law.
UCCRO said in its statement that Russia was “taking advantage of the insufficient reaction of democratic states and using its lobbyists and various agents of influence in NATO and EU countries and beyond, and continues to commit systematic terror against the civilian population of Ukraine”
Efforts by the Trump administration to broker peace have stalled for months. A recent plan was heavily criticised as appeasing Moscow’s maximalist demands, which include ceding substantial Ukrainian territory – where millions live under brutal occupation, with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and other faith communities banned.
The Kremlin has also demanded that Ukraine reduce its military and agree to permanent exclusion from NATO.
Ahead of meeting with a US delegation on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed Europe’s conditions for ending Russia’s war as “not acceptable,” adding, “We are not going to fight with Europe. … But if Europe wants to fight with us, we are ready to do so right now.”
However, warned UCCRO in its statement, “if the crimes of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and the Ukrainian people are not stopped and punished, other countries of Northern, Central, and Eastern Europe will inevitably become the next targets of Russian state terrorism.”
UCCRO added that “this evil will also reach those countries that believe they are sufficiently protected or think that they can make agreements with Russia, trade with it, and that everything will be fine.”
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Ukraine’s religious leaders warn Russia will attack Europe if not halted, held accountable (By Gina Christian, OSV News)
