At Ukraine’s Permanent Mission to the UN, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

The Head of State thanked His All-Holiness for his support, solidarity, and constant prayers for Ukraine and all Ukrainians. The President also highlighted the efforts His All-Holiness undertakes in advocating for Ukraine’s interests.

During the meeting, they discussed the destructive influence of the Russian church and the importance of joint efforts to counter it.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy briefed His All-Holiness on the protection of religious freedom in Ukraine. He emphasized that there is no religious persecution in our country. At the same time, there must be no ties with the aggressor state. The parties also discussed the further development of the church in Ukraine. The Ecumenical Patriarch assured of Constantinople’s support.

They also touched on the diplomatic situation. His All-Holiness spoke about his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, while Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared details of cooperation with the American team.

In particular, they spoke about the ways to achieve a genuine peace. The Head of State expressed his gratitude for the strong words of the Ecumenical Patriarch during his address at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on September 19. His All-Holiness called Russia’s war against Ukraine illegal and condemned the actions of the Russian Orthodox Church, which has blessed the killing of Ukrainians.

The President invited the Ecumenical Patriarch to visit Ukraine, while His All-Holiness, in turn, invited Volodymyr Zelenskyy to visit the Ecumenical Patriarchate.