Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a personal visit to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Phanar in Istanb...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a personal visit to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Phanar in Istanbul on Saturday, October 31, just two days before the Patriarch marks 35 years on the Ecumenical Throne. The private meeting lasted roughly an hour, according to the Patriarchate's official statement. Bartholomew reaffirmed the Patriarchate's support for the Ukrainian people and expressed hope that thousands of abducted Ukrainian children would soon return home. He also offered prayers for peace and justice in Ukraine. Zelensky told the Patriarch he had briefed him on Ukraine's ongoing coordination with international partners, including contacts with the United States, and on continued Russian strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure. The two also discussed a humanitarian evacuation operation in Oleshky, a Russian-occupied city in the Kherson region. Zelensky expressed direct gratitude to the Patriarch afterward, saying he thanked him for his consistent public stance, his support for Ukraine, and his continued prayers for peace. According to the Patriarchate, this was Zelensky's fifth visit to the Phanar since taking office, following a previous visit in April. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accompanied the president. The Phanar stop was part of a broader trip to Turkey that also included talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Bartholomew officially marks 35 years since his enthronement on Monday, November 2. He was elected on October 22, 1991, and enthroned that November, following the death of Ecumenical Patriarch Demetrios. #EcumenicalPatriarchate #Bartholomew #Ukraine