TORONTO — While noting there “will be many steps and many obstacles” on the path to peace, Fr. Andrew Onuferko said the Aug. 18 summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House offers a “glimmer of hope” that an end to the warfare between Russia and Ukraine could be on the horizon.
Onuferko, the vicar general for the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Toronto, said the bilateral meeting, followed by a multilateral sit-down with seven European leaders, illustrated “a new spirit, a new commitment that was very palpable.”
“It’s quite clear that President Donald Trump is thinking about his place in history,” observed Onuferko. “I think European leaders understand that as well, so I think they’re trying to use that particular context in order to help achieve something positive for Ukraine.”
One of the apparent outcomes of the assembly, staged less than 72 hours after Trump dialogued with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, is the scheduling of a face-to-face meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy within the coming days. If that encounter unfolds smoothly, the two heads of state will be joined by Trump for a trilateral event.
Ihor Michalchyshyn, the executive director of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, said he was happy Zelenskyy and the European leaders spoke comprehensively with Trump “about security guarantees (for Ukraine) and what that will look like.” He emphasized that a united front between all the allies “are vital going forward.”
Although there were largely unified sentiments expressed by each of the participating leaders, a notable difference of opinion emerged at the table between Trump and the Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, with the latter pressing for a ceasefire in hostilities before any future meeting involving Putin and Zelenskyy. Trump suggested it may not be a necessary step on the road to securing a finalized peace agreement.
Michalchyshyn said dropping the demand for Russia to agree to a ceasefire “is concerning,” and Onuferko suggested that he “can’t imagine that Zelenskyy could sit down with Putin while the man sitting across from the table is killing civilians in his country.”
Potential land concessions, post-war security arrangements and prisoner exchanges are projected to be the key sensitive issues discussed by Putin and Zelenskyy if and when they meet.
The plight of Ukrainian children, and children worldwide, has been receiving renewed focus in recent days thanks to a viral letter penned to Putin by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. She urged Putin that “in protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone — you serve humanity itself.”
Onuferko said the First Lady expressing these views “is helpful” and it is important for all kidnapped children, in addition to releasing imprisoned priests and other captives, to be reunited with their loved ones.
In addition to this letter receiving a lot of focus, an Aug. 7 opinion poll from Gallup about Ukrainians’ changing views of the war is also garnering plenty of notice. The data indicated 69 per cent of surveyed Ukrainians now favour a negotiated end to the war as soon as possible, compared to just 24 per cent who back continued fighting until victory. At the outset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, 73 per cent of Ukrainians declared they wanted to be fighting until victory, compared to 22 per cent who wanted an immediate, negotiated cessation.
Michalchyshyn said Ukrainian refugees in Canada also desire peace, and they want it to “be a just peace.”
“That is what we’re hearing from Ukrainians in Canada,” said Michalchyshyn. “They’re expecting that there will be increased support to help Ukraine, both militarily and financially.”
Onuferko, who devotes time ministering to Ukrainian refugees in Newfoundland and Labrador, intends to speak about the latest developments and impart a message of hope to the displaced that he heard while attending the 2025 Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church from June 29 to July 10.
“The topic was persevering in hope, (being) strong in love and the Ukrainian family in time of war,” said Onuferko. “The pastoral letter that came from the synod speaks about their suffering, it acknowledges the incredible sacrifice parents make, and is a great word of encouragement that the family truly be a domestic Church — a place to grow in faith, holiness and in serving others.”
