President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the international community not to grow weary of the war during a prayer breakfast in Kyiv on Aug. 23, 2024 [5].
The event serves as a strategic effort to rally domestic and global support as Ukraine approaches its 35th independence anniversary [4]. By engaging religious leaders, the administration aims to counter the perception of war fatigue among Western allies.
Zelenskyy spoke at the third edition of the National Prayer Breakfast [3]. He focused on the psychological and political challenges of a prolonged conflict, emphasizing that the survival of the nation depends on sustained external attention.
"The greatest threat we face is not battlefield fatigue, but the risk that the international community becomes accustomed to the war," Zelenskyy said.
The gathering included 1,500 participants [1] representing 17 different countries [2]. These attendees included evangelical leaders and various foreign officials who joined the event to pray for the survival of the Ukrainian state.
An unnamed evangelical leader said the participants stood together praying for Ukraine's survival. The event highlighted the role of faith-based diplomacy in maintaining diplomatic ties during the ongoing conflict.
Zelenskyy used the platform to call for national unity, framing the struggle not only as a military effort but as a spiritual, and moral necessity. He warned that normalization of the conflict could lead to a decrease in critical support.
“"The greatest threat we face is not battlefield fatigue, but the risk that the international community becomes accustomed to the war."”
This event signals Ukraine's effort to diversify its diplomatic outreach by targeting religious networks, particularly evangelical leaders who hold significant influence in the U.S. and other allied nations. By framing the conflict as a moral struggle rather than just a geopolitical one, Zelenskyy is attempting to insulate international aid from the volatility of political cycles and the natural decline of public interest in long-term wars.
