There, he had a meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and he took part in a memorial prayer for the victims of the war in Ukraine, led by His All Holiness.

The prayer service was held in St. George’s Cathedral in Phanar.

Father Methodius, the Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne, and Father Epiphanius, the Patriarchal Deacon, served the prayer in Ukrainian and Greek.

The Head of State of Ukraine briefed the Ecumenical Patriarch on the situation at the front and the recent crimes of the aggressor against Ukrainian civilians.

The President thanked His All Holiness for his unwavering support of our country, prayers for peace, condemnation of aggression and crimes, comprehensive assistance to Ukrainians who suffered due to Russia’s war against Ukraine.

“I want to thank His All Holiness. Today is an important day – our struggle has been going on for 500 days – since the full-scale invasion. We have the support of His All Holiness, prayers for our soldiers, for the nation, for our people, for life in Ukraine,” the Head of State said.

Zelenskyy said that the Ukrainian Peace Formula and the return of children illegally deported from Ukraine were discussed at the meeting.

For his part, His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew noted the importance of achieving peace in Ukraine.

“The Ecumenical Patriarchate as the Mother Church of all Orthodox in Ukraine is always on their side,” the Ecumenical Patriarch said.

“I want to wish for the return of all the POWs and all the children who are now far from their homes,” Patriarch Bartholomew added.

According to government sources, Mitsotakis underlined his interest in the situation of the Greeks of Ukraine, while he assured Zelensky of Greece’s continued support towards his country.

He also expressed an interest in visiting Ukraine in the future.

The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) imposed sanctions against Hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC, the entity of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine) of Metropolitan Onufriy, according to a decision on December 11.

Indeed, yesterday, on December 12, the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, signed the decree, which was posted on the official website of the Ukrainian Presidency.

“In accordance with Article 107 of the Constitution of Ukraine, I decide 1. The introduction of the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine dated December 11, 2022, “On the application of personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions), 2. The control over the implementation of the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine enacted by this decree, to entrust to the Secretariat of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine,” the Ukrainian president states in his decision.

Among the persons affected by this decision are Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil, Metropolitan of Luhansk Panteleimon, Metropolitan of Zaporizhia and Melitopol Lukas and Metropolitan of Chernivtsi and Bukovyna Meletiy, who all belong to the Russian Church in Ukraine, under Metropolitan Onufriy.

The Security Service of Ukraine’s sanctions list also includes Archbishop Konstiantynivskii Paisiy (of the Horlivka Diocese), Archimandrite Ioannis (Prokopenko) of the Zaporizhia Diocese, and Archimandrite Oleksiy (Fiodorov) of the Kherson Diocese.

Also, and according to what the SBU posted on its Telegram account, the persons added to the sanctions list, “undertook various initiatives, namely, agreed to cooperate with the occupying authorities, promoted pro-Russian arguments and justified Russia’s military attack in Ukraine”.

The sanctions against the clergy also include the blocking of their assets and the withdrawal of funds from Ukraine, restrictions on trade activities, etc.

They are also deprived of the right to purchase land, to privatize state-owned property.

It is reminded that most of the clerics affected by the sanctions were present at the speech of Russian President Putin at the end of September, when he announced the illegal annexation of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson.

Watching the video of the announcement of the Russian president, one finds that among the audience in the Kremlin were Metropolitan Panteleimon of Lugansk and Alchevsk, Archimandrite Ioannis (Prokopenko), abbot of the Holy Monastery of Melitopolis, and Archimandrite Oleksiy (Fedorov), abbot of the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary in Kherson.

According to Ukrainian media, Metropolitan Panteleimon of Luhansk (since June 2019), who comes from Vinitsa, had helped Russian forces justify their invasion of Ukraine.

Archimandrite Ioannis, according to the Ukrainian media, had campaigned for “the earliest possible referendum on the accession to Russia” of the occupied areas.

Also, Archimandrite Oleksiy was in first place in the hall of St.George in the Kremlin, next to Ramzan Kadirov and the mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobianin.

The President of Ukraine noted that Boris Johnson is visiting Kyiv for the third time since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war against our country. Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine has a friend that not everyone is lucky enough to have.

“Today I thanked the Prime Minister for all the support we received from him as a leader and from the society of Britain – our reliable partner. This assistance really brings our victory closer. And we will definitely win, we are sure of that. The victory of freedom in Ukraine is the victory of freedom in Europe,” Zelenskyy said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his belief that the right of Ukrainians and all other nations who value freedom to live on their land will be defended.

During the meeting of the President of Ukraine with Boris Johnson, a number of important issues were discussed. In particular, the defense needs of Ukraine, the situation around the ZNPP, the treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war. Attention was also paid to the participation of Great Britain in the reconstruction of Ukraine and to other economic issues.

“Prime Minister Johnson always said: what else can Britain do for Ukraine to win? I think this is the key meaning of relations between Great Britain and Ukraine, relations between our societies, friendly relations between us. This, in my opinion, is the most important thing that happened between our states. And this also does not give us the right to lose in this war, and we will definitely not lose with such friends,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

He personally thanked Boris Johnson and Great Britain for standing with the Ukrainian people on Independence Day.

The Prime Minister, for his part, emphasized that Ukraine managed to resolutely repel the Russian invader, pushing him away from Kyiv and Kharkiv.

“We pay tribute to those who perished at the front due to Putin’s brutality. I am proud of the bravery of Ukrainians who continue to live their lives,” he said and noted that Ukrainians have demonstrated a strong desire for freedom.

Boris Johnson noted that his country will continue to support Ukraine in every possible way in the fight against the aggressor. In particular, Great Britain provides defense assistance and carries out training of Ukrainian servicemen.

“Now we must increase our support to Ukraine,” said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister of Great Britain also emphasized the importance of preventing the mitigation of sanctions against Russia. Also, in his opinion, it is inadmissible to start negotiations with Russia as long as it violates the territorial integrity of Ukraine and kills its citizens.

“This war can end in the only way – Ukraine will win. And Great Britain will stand by your side,” Boris Johnson emphasized.

The Prime Minister also noted that Great Britain will help in the reconstruction of the country. After all, Ukrainian schoolchildren in the frontline territories continue to get an education despite the difficult conditions.

“Our common goal is to ensure that these pupils, when they grow up, acquire all the qualifications necessary for life in a successful Ukraine. We will heal your cities and villages from the scars of this terrible war. We will make the country a flower noticeable by the whole world,” he said.

“I want people in my country to clearly understand what is at stake in Ukraine. This concerns your right to live in peace and freedom. But in fact, this concerns all of us when it comes to freedom and democracy,” Boris Johnson summed up.

Source: president.gov.ua/

“This year we celebrate this great day for Orthodoxy, longing for the consoling and inspiring protection of the Virgin Mary that we, the Greeks, have associated with love, care for the weak, and sensitiveness.

I hope these values continue to inspire us.”

The agreement between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday, on the sidelines of the extraordinary EU summit in Brussels, follows up on recent discussions between the two countries, added the Greek ministry in a statement.

Greece received the BMP-1 type armed vehicles it will send Ukraine in 1994, and will receive Merder-type tanks in their place.

The aid was provided under the auspices of the Greek Foreign Affairs Ministry with the help of the Region of Attica, the Hellenic Red Cross (HRC), the Doctors of the World (Hellas) and the supermarkets Sklavenitis, along with the support of the Boubouras Foundation.

It includes food, personal care goods and pharmaceutical supplies, and is in addition to a mission accompanied by FM Nikos Dendias to Odessa on April 3, the ministry said.

A fourth humanitarian mission by the HRC will leave Athens on Tuesday for Odessa. It will include 50 tons of humanitarian goods of immediate need by the population, including foods with a long shelf life, bottled water, antiseptic, pharmaceutical supplies, and three generators, the ministry said.

This mission will be accompanied by foreign ministry official responsible for humanitarian assistance Alexandros Diakopoulos.

According to government sources, Ukrainian Ambassador to Greece Sergii Shutenko will be received by President of the Hellenic Parliament Constantine Tassoulas on Monday to finalize the details, but it is expected that Zelenskyy’s address will take place either on Wednesday or Thursday.

In contacts with leading businessmen like Microsoft’s president Brad Smith and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla and members of the Greek community of New York, Mitsotakis stressed that Greece is much stronger now than in the past decade.

An upward growth trend that is projected around 5.9% for the year made him optimistic, he said, that the forecast may be low.

Among issues, he noted in both his speech before the General Assembly and investors were initiatives to curb the steep rise in electricity bills, which also required a pan-European response, incentives to keep “a very well-educated younger generation” in Greece, reversing the brain drain of the past decade, and measures to deal with climate change, an urgent global issue to be addressed at the upcoming UN summit in Glasgow.

Mitsotakis also noted the role of Turkish aggression in the fragile balances of the eastern Mediterranean, and reiterated that Greece is firmly committed to working on collaborating with Turkey on issues such as migration.

The resolution of the maritime zones delimination with the neighboring country must be based on International Law and the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), while Turkey must also respect UN resolutions on the Cyprus issue.

Building alliances in the region is a key tenet of Greek foreign policy, and include contacts with influential American Jewish organizations as well, whom he met with in New York.

Referring to the US-UK-Australia defense agreement (AUKUS) during his contacts, he reiterated that Europe must build strategic autonomy if it wishes to expand its influence from an economic to a geopolitical power, while retaining strong ties with the United States.

Mitsotakis also said Greece was very interested in developments in Libya and firmly supported free elections without the presence of foreign troops in the country.

In his contacts, the Greek premier noted Greece’s interest in becoming a leader in the Balkans and said the country is steadfastly committed to EU membership for the western Balkan countries, while during his meeting with Archbishop Elpidophoros he confirmed the close ties between the diaspora in the United States and Greece.

Source: ANA-MPA

The agenda of the Summit, which acquires special geopolitical weight, includes security challenges in the Mediterranean that endanger stability in the region, potential new crises, such as the threat of migration flows after the latest developments in Afghanistan, and other crises, the consequences of which Mediterranean countries are already experiencing, such as climate change.

Before the summit, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will meet Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic at the Maximos Mansion at 12:00, while at 14:15 he will meet Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi at the SNFCC.

The EUMed meeting on climate change with the participation of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will be held at 15:30, while the EUMED 9 summit meeting will begin at 17:00.

The leaders participating will include Mitsotakis, French President Emmanuel Macron, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades, Malta Prime Minister Robert Abela, Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa and Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva.

The leaders will make statements to the press at 19:40 and at 20:30 they will attend a dinner.

Source: ANA-MPA