UGCC Head in the 158th Week of the War: “These Days in Washington, D.C., It Feels Like a Skyscraper Has Collapsed, and a Cloud of Dust Has Covered Everything...”
We felt that the Lord God called us to the capital of the United States to reach the minds and hearts of the new American President’s administration. His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, stated this in his traditional video address on the 158th week of Russia’s great war against Ukraine.
The Primate noted that these days, we are marking a somber anniversary—the third year since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by criminal Russian forces.
The Head of the Church expressed his gratitude to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and all our defenders who, despite everything, continue to protect our eastern, southern, and northern borders, demonstrating extraordinary resilience.
Reflecting on his recent stay in Washington, he described it as a time of God’s providence: “We were with the Ukrainian community, our diplomats, and Ukraine’s friends in America during these, without exaggeration, turbulent times in modern 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. There is much uncertainty, fear, and disorientation...”
According to the Head of the Church, the UGCC delegation encountered friends of Ukraine everywhere, even among the most hardline supporters of the new President’s party. They worked to convey the truth about Ukraine—making it clear who the aggressor is and who the victim is—stressing that there can be no peace without truth and justice.
The UGCC delegation, led by its Head, became the first Ukrainian delegation to visit President Donald Trump’s administration at the White House.
Numerous meetings, His Beatitude Sviatoslav emphasized, provided an opportunity to defend the long-suffering Ukrainian people—to knock on every door and appeal to every heart.
Read also:
Video-message of the Head of the UGCC on the 158th Week of Full-Scale War, February 23, 2025
“Last week,” the Primate said, “we witnessed a powerful demonstration by the Ukrainian community in Washington, D.C., where Ukrainians—both U.S. citizens and citizens of Ukraine—declared to America and the world that Ukraine is determined to continue fighting for its rights, dignity, and independence.”
By decision of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Monday, February 24, on the third anniversary of the full-scale war, will mark the first-ever National Day of Prayer for Ukraine. “Prayer is a special power that comes from our communion with God. In prayer, we call down His strength upon Ukraine and its people. May this Day of Prayer unite us all, helping us set aside internal divisions so that we may stand together before God and beseech Him for peace in Ukraine,” the spiritual leader said.
The UGCC Department for Information
