Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Zelenskyy: "Patriarchate, as the mother church of all Orthodox in Ukraine, is always on their side"

During his visit to Istanbul, Ukraine’s Zelenskyy met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on 8 July 2023. Bartholomew conducted a memorial prayer for the victims of the war at St. George’s Cathedral.

He said that “the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as the mother church of all Orthodox in Ukraine, is always on their side.“

Together with Zelenskyy, they discussed the implementation of the Peace Formula and the return of children deported by the occupiers to Russia.

“Today is a very important day, a day when our struggle has already been going on for 500 days since the full-scale invasion, – Zelenskyy said during the press brief. – We here received the support of His Holiness by praying for our soldiers, for our nation, for our people, for life in Ukraine.“

As was reported, Zelenskyy also met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, with whom they discussed Ukraine’s NATO membership ahead of the NATO Vilnius summit. Erdoğan said after the meeting shortly that Ukraine “deserves NATO membership.”

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Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Zelenskyy: “Patriarchate, as the mother church of all Orthodox in Ukraine, is always on their side”