His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew met on Monday, September 22, 2025 with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Ukrainian delegation’s office in New York, in the course of His All-Holiness’ Apostolic Visit to the United States. The meeting took place as leaders from around the world assembled in New York for the UN General Assembly.
Accompanying the Ecumenical Patriarch at the meeting were His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, Their Eminences Metropolitans Theodoritos of Laodicea and Maximos of Selyvria; the Very Rev. Grand Ecclesiarch Aetios, Director of the Private Patriarchal Office; and the Spiritual Advisor of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Father Alexander Karloutsos, the Grand Protopresbyter of the Holy and Great Church of Christ.
During their meeting, His All-Holiness emphasized the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s unwavering support for Ukraine amid Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war. He assured President Zelensky of his unshakeable support for and solidarity with the Ukrainian people, and expressed his hope that Ukraine could soon conclude a victorious peace.
In response, President Zelenskyy invited the Ecumenical Patriarch to visit Ukraine, and emphasized the importance of the spiritual and moral encouragement His All-Holiness continues to offer as Ukraine endures the ravages of war.
His All-Holiness presented President Zelenskyy with a book on Ukraine that His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros wrote.
President Zelenskyy traveled to the Phanar in July 2023 to meet with His All-Holiness. On that occasion, the Ecumenical Patriarch stated: “We expressed the desire that peace would come soon, because war is a bad thing for everyone. We said that the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as the Mother Church of the Ukrainian Orthodox, is always on their side.” He added that “it is not the first time that we have welcomed Mr. Zelensky to the Ecumenical Patriarchate.” Zelenskyy’s first visit was in August 2019.
