On Christmas eve, Zelensky speaks with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

On the eve of Christmas, President Volodymyr Zelensky had a call with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, assuring the latter that Ukraine is doing everything to ensure that 2025 could become a year of just and lasting peace for the nation and the whole world.

The head of state of Ukraine reported this on X, Ukrinform saw.

“On the eve of Christmas, I spoke with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. I expressed my gratitude for His spiritual support of Ukraine and prayers for the Ukrainian people. (…) Ukraine is doing everything to ensure that 2025 becomes a year of just and lasting peace for our country and the entire world.,” Zelensky said.

He noted that Ukraine deeply values the Patriarchate's efforts to strengthen support for Ukraine within the global religious community and its contribution to the nation’s spiritual independence.

"I am grateful to Patriarch Bartholomew for wishing the Ukrainian people strength, courage, and God's blessing, as well as for his Christmas greetings," the President said.

As Ukrinform reported, last year in Ukraine, on December 25, Christians of the Western and Eastern Rites celebrated Christmas together for the first time.

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church switched the calendar on September 1, 2023. Now most church dates are celebrated 13 days earlier.