Zelensky thanks Patriarch Bartholomew for “strengthening Ukraine's spiritual independence”

Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople for his help in “strengthening the spiritual independence” of Ukraine. Zelensky noted that in 2025 he will work to achieve a just peace, and therefore highly appreciates the spiritual support of the head of the Phanar. He wrote about this on his account on the social network X.

“On Christmas Eve, I spoke with His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. I expressed my gratitude for his spiritual support of Ukraine and prayers for the Ukrainian people. We deeply appreciate the efforts of the Patriarchate to strengthen support for Ukraine in the global religious community and its contribution to the spiritual independence of our country. Ukraine is doing everything to ensure that 2025 becomes a year of just and lasting peace for our country and the whole world,” – Zelensky wrote in a short statement.

Earlier, the hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol, spoke on the Turkish TV channel Ulusal about the role of Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople in inciting religious hatred in Ukraine. The hierarch noted that for the entire period of confrontation between the UOC and the OCU in Ukraine, the head of Phanar has never properly responded to the actions of his wards from the OCU, thus condoning their aggression against the UOC.