On March 12, 2026, a delegation of the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO) held meetings in London at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and at the Embassy of Ukraine, and also participated in an event at the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House).

At the UK Foreign Office, UCCRO representatives met with Paul Walters, Head of the Ukraine Department at the Foreign Office, as well as with staff members of the Human Rights Unit. The Ukrainian delegation informed their counterparts about the state of freedom of religion in Ukraine and reported on cases of religious persecution in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, as well as on Russia’s use of religion as a tool to advance and justify its military aggression against Ukraine.

During the meeting, the parties also discussed the implementation of the Agreement on the One Hundred Year Partnership between Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, particularly in the context of the potential of socio-cultural ties and the role and opportunities of religious communities of both countries in this area. Following the meeting, representatives of the UK Foreign Office and UCCRO agreed to maintain further communication.

At Chatham House, representatives of the Council took part in an event titled “Defending Ukraine’s Identity and Why It Is Key to a Durable Peace.” During the discussion, participants addressed various aspects related to understanding Ukraine’s cultural and religious identity as a tool of resistance to Russian aggression. They also highlighted the role of the Russian Orthodox Church and other Russia-based religious centers in supporting and justifying the Kremlin’s political and military objectives, and debunked Russian propaganda narratives such as “Russia is the last stronghold of Christianity and traditional values” and “Ukraine persecutes Russian religious minorities,” among others.

Religious leaders also emphasized the spiritual and humanitarian activities carried out by all Ukrainian churches and religious organizations and spoke about the role of religious leaders in Ukraine’s resistance to Russian aggression and its consequences.

On the same day, the UCCRO delegation visited the Embassy of Ukraine and met with Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. During the meeting, representatives of the Council of Churches briefed the Ambassador on their meetings with British partners and discussed further efforts to serve and support Ukrainians in the United Kingdom.

It should be recalled that the day before, representatives of UCCRO met with Rebecca Smith, Vice-Chair of the cross-party parliamentary group “Christians in Parliament” and Member of the House of Commons, and also visited the Ukrainian Support Centre and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Cathedral in London.