Ending the war in Ukraine must not come at the expense of true justice, particularly for the 400,000 Ukrainian children forcibly taken to Russia, Mission Eurasia (ME) emphasized in a statement issued on Feb. 26, 2025, on behalf of Ukrainian church and ministry leaders.
Titled Current Events and Peace Talks Regarding Ukraine, the statement, released by the board of the international ministry that trains Christian leaders in a missional context, quoted Isaiah 2:4, stating that “as followers of Christ, we are called to be voices of truth, justice, and compassion—especially in times of deep crisis.”
“As the leadership of Mission Eurasia, together with our partners on the ground in Ukraine and our supporting community around the globe, we stand united in unwavering prayer and support for the people of Ukraine during this pivotal moment in history,” ME said.
The organization referenced “current unexpected global political shifts and current talks surrounding Ukraine,” stating that these developments require “Christian discernment, courage, clarity, and unwavering conviction.”
This likely alludes to a perceived shift in foreign policy under the new U.S. administration of President Donald Trump who stated on Feb. 25 via his social media platform Truth Social, “We’re helping Ukraine like nobody has ever helped Ukraine before.” However, on Feb. 24, he had also announced “serious discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia concerning the ending of the War”—talks that notably excluded Ukraine and European leaders.
ME affirmed its solidarity with “our brothers and sisters in Ukraine” in their desire to see an end to the war, which began with the Russian invasion on Feb. 22, 2022, and has claimed thousands of lives.
“However, we firmly believe that a JUST PEACE [sic] cannot come at the expense of truth or at the cost of the innocent,” ME said. “True peace cannot be built on a political compromise that ignores the cries of victims or absolves aggressors of accountability.
“The war must end, but the deep wounds it has inflicted cannot be ignored, nor can the crimes committed against the Ukrainian people and their church be dismissed for the sake of political expediency.”
ME highlighted ongoing human rights violations, including the forced deportation of more than 400,000 Ukrainian children to Russia. The organization also pointed to other atrocities: churches seized and desecrated, countless civilians brutally killed, tens of thousands of children orphaned, and approximately 12 million refugees fleeing their homes. A third of Ukraine’s population is now displaced.
“Entire towns, villages, and communities have been wiped off the map, leaving behind a trail of devastation and heartbreak,” ME said. “These are not just statistics or numbers on a page—they are lives, stories, and souls created in the image of God.
“As followers of Christ, we cannot remain silent. We are called to: ‘Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed’ (Psalm 82:3).
“To ignore these atrocities for the sake of political convenience is a betrayal of the very gospel we proclaim.”
The statement reaffirmed ME’s commitment to its mission of spreading the gospel by training and resourcing Christian leaders to serve the Church and those in need.
“In the midst of this devastating war, we continue to stand alongside the Ukrainian church and people, offering hope, humanitarian aid, and spiritual care,” ME said. “Together, we are bringing the light of Christ into the darkest places, encouraging the weary, and reminding the broken that they are not forgotten.”
Finally, ME called upon churches in the United States, Canada, and other nations to unite—not passively, but in active intercession through “earnest prayer, and continued, generous support for those who suffer.”
“Let us prayerfully labor for a just peace that reflects the Kingdom of God—peace that restores, redeems, and upholds the dignity of every human life affected by this war,” ME stated.
Christian Daily International has previously reported that evangelicals in Ukraine do not favor a peace agreement that grants territory to Russia, as the Russian military already seeks to end the evangelical presence in areas it controls, according to sources from Ukraine.
“For evangelical people in Ukraine, it is not only important to achieve peace for themselves only – they want to achieve peace and freedom for their brothers and sisters in the regions under Russian control,” Dr. Maksym Vasin of the Institute for Religious Freedom, based in Kyiv, told Christian Daily International. “That’s why it will be not a perfect deal, a peaceful deal, if thousands of evangelical Christians will continue to be persecuted under Russian authority for years.”
