President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with representatives of the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations.
During the event, the head of state signed Law of Ukraine No. 1915-IX "On the Service of Military Chaplains," which was passed by Parliament on November 30.
"It was a strong request from the religious community and our military," the President said, commenting on the signed document.
Representatives of the Council of Churches thanked the head of state for supporting this important law. For his part, Zelenskyy thanked the Ukrainian military, which is defending our state, for their help.
"I would like to ask you: I will be very grateful if you give any public signal to support the peace process," the President said.
The head of state also noted the systematic assistance of churches and religious organizations in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said that meetings with religious leaders provide an opportunity to hear about the challenges and problems that concern people and find answers to important questions.
"I would like to thank you for what you do to make our lives truly peaceful and quiet. You do it with your work, your prayers, your daily life," Zelenskyy said.
The President congratulated the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations on its 25th anniversary. "It's a great and effective tool which not every country has. I wish the stability to the Council of Churches," he said.
The meeting participants also raised the issue of boarding school reform and combating domestic violence. In particular, it is necessary to have effective response of law enforcement agencies in such cases. In this context, the ratification of the Istanbul Convention was discussed. The head of state said that its adoption lies in the sphere of activity of the Verkhovna Rada.
"When we talk about domestic violence, I think we need to regulate at the legislative level how to address such issues by supporting families," Zelenskyy said.
"In any case, such issues should be discussed widely, and I believe that the Council of Churches should send representatives when discussing this or an alternative piece of legislation that will protect people," he added.
