Ecumenical Orthodox patriarch backs Ukraine's sovereignty in Mass marking 3 years of war
Source: Associated Press
Ecumenical Orthodox patriarch backs Ukraine’s sovereignty in Mass marking 3 years of war
By ROBERT BADENDIECK
Updated 9:59 AM EST, February 23, 2025
ISTANBUL (AP) — The top figure in Eastern Orthodox Christianity on Sunday declared that “Ukraine’s sovereignty is not up for debate, nor can it be negotiated under the guise of diplomacy,” as he celebrated Mass in Istanbul on the eve of the third anniversary of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who is considered the “first among equals” in Eastern Orthodoxy, said any future peace agreement “must include Ukraine as an equal participant.” He praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his “tireless effort” to defend the country’s independence.
Most Ukrainians identify as Orthodox Christians, though the country remains split between an independent church based in Kyiv and another aligned with Moscow.
Bartholomew, who has consistently shown support for Ukraine since the war began, recognized the Orthodox Church of Ukraine as independent from Moscow in 2019 — a move that prompted Russian Patriarch Kirill and the Russian Orthodox Church to sever contact.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-turkey-orthodox-patriarch-bartholomew-war-f9131432f1c070d0a3e8b97f8ea7de3d