The Turkish Foreign Ministry expressed strong disapproval of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s participation in the International Summit on Ukraine. According to a report on skai.gr, Turkish officials requested clarification regarding the Ecumenical Patriarch’s support of the joint statement issued at the end of the Summit.
In a statement, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli said, “Reports of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s participation with official status in the Ukraine Peace Summit in Switzerland on June 15-16, 2024, and of our minister’s official meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew during the Summit are inaccurate.”
The Turkish authorities also reached out to the Summit organizers, Switzerland and Ukraine, to address claims that the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s name was included as a signatory to the joint statement after the Summit concluded.
Furthermore, it was reiterated that Turkey’s state policy regarding the status of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Phanar remains unchanged. The Turkish Foreign Ministry’s response underscores the ongoing complexities and sensitivities surrounding the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s involvement in international affairs.
Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas