President Putin Meets Patriarch John of Antioch and All the East

After the meeting with the heads of delegations of the local Orthodox churches, Vladimir Putin met with Patriarch John of Antioch and All the East.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Your Beatitude,

It is a great pleasure for me to have a separate meeting with you.

We have just had quite a detailed discussion with the representatives of other Orthodox churches. Nevertheless, I would like to take this opportunity to discuss the situation with the Orthodox Christians in Syria.

I am very glad to see you.

Patriarch John of Antioch and All the East (retranslated): Mr. President, thank you very much for the promise you made. I am referring to your promise to meet with me both in the expanded format with the other patriarchs, as well as now, despite this late hour. I am very grateful for your willingness to have this meeting.

I would like to thank once again you personally and Russia for what you have been doing in the Middle East, and specifically in Syria.

M. Wassouf