A group of foreign leaders gathered in Kyiv to commemorate the third anniversary of the armed conflict in Ukraine. The event focused on exploring pathways to peace, ensuring security in the region, and discussing broader issues regarding collective security, according to the Xinhua news agency.
In this context, the Vatican News site published the testimony of the Greco-Catholic priest Bohdan Heleta, a member of the Redemptorists, who was captured by Russian forces during the war. During an online meeting with Vatican media, Father Heleta shared his experience and mentioned that faith in God helped him endure during his detention in Berdyansk, a city that was then under Russian occupation.
Bohdan Heleta, along with another priest, was detained in November 2022 and was missing for a time until they were released on June 28, 2024. After his release, Heleta recounted his experiences during the time he was in captivity.
Among the leaders who visited Kyiv for this commemoration were European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez. These foreign leaders paid tribute to the fallen in the war upon their arrival at the train station, where they were welcomed by the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine and the country's Foreign Minister.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had announced that 13 leaders would attend the commemoration event in person, while another 24 would participate virtually.