Ваша Святосте, Шановні народні депутати,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The year
that passed since the last National Prayer Breakfast turned out to be the most
difficult for Ukraine in all 23 years of Ukrainian independence. Therefore, it
is very important that the tradition of the Ukrainian Prayer Breakfast is
alive, and I sincerely thank the organizers and everyone who joined us this morning
to express support to Ukraine and to join us in prayer.
Yesterday
we saw the president of the United States of America and other American and foreign
dignitaries praying together and sharing a friendly meal. Every year, they come
to Washington in order to share with the world the message of brotherly love
and peace.
We Ukrainians are
thankful to God for having such a friend as the United States of America – the
country that has traditionally supported Ukraine’s strive for liberty,
democracy and religious freedom. For us, America proved and continues to prove
that its deeds are as good as its words: Ukraine’s political and economic
situation would have been much more complicated without the U.S. support. It
was America which stretched its friendly hand from across the ocean, assisting
the Ukrainians in preservation of their national unity, sovereignty and
democratic pro-European choice.
The Bible
says: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under
heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to
pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; … a time to love,
and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace” (Ecclesiastes 3). The
time of torment has come to Ukraine, and the torments were brought on us by the
evil will of those who hate everything Ukrainian, everything free and
everything not under their control.
I
wholeheartedly believe that with God’s blessings Ukraine shall prevail over its
enemies. The truth and the support of the whole civilized world are on our
side. Please join me in prayers for Ukraine.
I pray
to God to give strength to Ukraine to withstand all sufferings and hardships
inflicted on it by its closest neighbor.
I pray
for the innocent souls who were killed by terrorists on the streets of
Volnovakha and Mariupol, and in many cities and villages of once peaceful
Eastern Ukraine.
I pray
for those unsuspecting European and Asian travelers whose lives were ended by a
Russian missile fired at the Malaysian airliner.
I pray
to God to rest the souls of Ukrainian volunteers and army men who sacrificed
their lives to protect their loved families and fellowmen from the foreign evil
will.
I pray
for the victory of Ukrainian warriors who every day risk their lives to make
sure that Ukraine remains a free independent nation.
I pray
for those Crimean Tatar and pro-Ukrainian activists who are being prosecuted in
the occupied Crimea; I pray for Nadiya Savchenko, Oleh Sentsov and all hostages
taken by the Kremlin regime.
As a Christian, I pray
for the souls of those who were lured by bloody money and propaganda to take
arms against their neighbors; I pray to God to bring them to their senses, open
their eyes, lay down their weapons and leave Ukraine.
I beg
the Lord to make accountable those responsible for unleashing the bloody war
against my country, for causing atrocities, death and destruction to thousands
of Ukrainians.
I pray
for the United States of America and other countries that supported Ukraine and
our people in the free choice of the way of national development in peace as an
equal member of the European family of nations.
I pray
for my beautiful country, Ukraine, and its peace-loving people.
Ukraine
stands for peace. We stand together with our partners and friends – the US, the
EU, and other nations – for diplomatic solution of the conflict. We hope that
peace will come back to Ukraine.
I trust that with God’s
help Ukraine, which has been suffering for centuries, will arise from misery,
rebuild everything lost and will have a bright future.
Amen.
God
bless Ukraine! God bless America! God bless you all!
