Ahead of the G7 Summit, Zelenskyy and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Discuss Support for Ukraine.

Phone Call Between Ukraine’s President and the Ecumenical Patriarch

According to UATV: On June 15, 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke by phone with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew while en route to Chișinău Airport for the Group of Seven (G7) summit. The conversation centered on backing for Ukraine and potential formats for face-to-face meetings between the two leaders. This outreach underscores Kyiv’s effort to rally moral and diplomatic allies on the global stage.

Strike on Ukraine and the Critical Role of International Solidarity

The same day was marked by a massive overnight Russian military attack on Ukraine. During the call, President Zelenskyy highlighted the importance of the Patriarch’s support, stating:

‘I thank His All-Holiness for his support and his absolutely clear moral stance: Russia’s drone strikes on the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra—a shrine not only of Ukraine but of Orthodoxy as a whole—are barbarism with no justification.’ Volodymyr Zelenskyy

These events underscore the significance of international backing for Ukraine amid armed aggression and emphasize the need for dialogue with religious leaders to strengthen moral positions in the fight for independence.

The Ukrainian president’s appeal to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew highlights the strategic importance of religious support in the context of the ongoing war. Given recent attacks on cultural and religious sites such as the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, international solidarity can not only boost Ukrainian morale but also draw global attention to the situation in Ukraine.