Overview
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul to raise humanitarian concerns for Ukrainian children harmed by Russia’s war.
- Zelenskyy briefed the Patriarch on the ongoing negotiation track for a dignified peace, noting recent contacts with the American team.
- The two discussed strengthening the church in Ukraine, and Zelenskyy invited the Patriarch to visit during the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s restored independence.
- Bartholomew voiced continued prayers for abducted Ukrainian children and others held in captivity, reinforcing the meeting’s focus on concrete human suffering.
- Ukrinform reported that, alongside these talks in Istanbul, the presidents of Ukraine and Turkey agreed on new steps to deepen security cooperation.