Shevchuk: We reject peace if Ukraine does not regain territories

Sviatoslav Shevchuk. Photo: Zhyve Telebachennia YouTube channel

Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), said Ukraine would never accept the occupation of its territory, even in exchange for peace. He made the remarks in an interview with Kyiv Diplomatic magazine.

According to Shevchuk, ceding Ukrainian territory to Russia would constitute a compromise that “must not be accepted even to end the war.”

The UGCC leader said he was pained to hear calls for compromises involving territorial concessions. “We are not territories – we are living people,” he stressed. He also noted that most UGCC institutions and parishioners are located outside Ukraine.

Shevchuk acknowledged that calls to halt the fighting along the current front line and begin negotiations have “a certain logic.” However, he argued that the international community must not accept the principle that national borders can be changed by force.

Otherwise, he warned, the rule of law would give way to the rule of the strongest, rendering any peace agreements meaningless.

According to Shevchuk, a just peace cannot simply mean freezing the conflict or establishing a temporary ceasefire.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Shevchuk had made several statements criticizing Trump's peace initiatives in December 2025.

Speaking in Australia, Shevchuk advocated continuing military operations to “stop the aggressor.” “We are told: Give up territory, and you will get peace,” Shevchuk said, expressing doubt that Russia would agree to such an arrangement. He emphasized that Ukraine is “much more than land resources or mineral deposits – it is a sacred place where God dwells with His people.”

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