Novynskyi: I quoted the Gospel to Zelensky on first day of war

Fr. Vadym Novynskyi and Zelensky. Collage: UOJ

Protodeacon Vadym Novynskyi of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, a former member of Ukraine’s parliament, said he quoted the Gospel to President Volodymyr Zelensky on February 24, 2022, urging him to begin peace talks with Russia. He made the remarks in an interview with Strana.ua.

According to Fr. Vadym, who was an MP at the time, he called Davyd Arakhamia. The conversation was on speakerphone, and Novynskyi was convinced that the president was nearby. When Arakhamia asked for his advice, Novynskyi suggested contacting Russia’s leadership and opening negotiations before more lives were lost. He identified two equally important goals: preserving Ukrainian statehood and saving lives.

He also recalled quoting Luke 14:31–32 from memory, a Gospel passage about a king who, before going to war, considers whether his forces are strong enough and, if they are not, sends a delegation to seek terms of peace.

“Therefore, if there is an opportunity to reach an agreement, we must seize it to prevent further bloodshed,” Novynskyi recalled telling them.

At Arakhamia’s request, Fr. Vadym then issued a public statement calling on both sides to begin negotiations. He claims that many members of parliament supported his appeal.

According to Novynskyi, on February 25, the head of one of Ukraine’s intelligence agencies called him and said the president was asking for his assistance. Fr. Vadym claims that Zelensky agreed to hold negotiations in Gomel, Belarus. He said he coordinated every item on the agenda with the president by phone and believes the relevant agencies may have recordings of those conversations.

As the UOJ previously reported, Novynskyi stated that Zelensky no longer had the moral right to remain president.

Read also