Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople called on Ukraine and Russia to end the war as soon as possible and “sincere dialogue.” He said this in the Patriarchal message at the beginning of the church year, according to the Phanar’s official website.

In his message, the head of the Phanar paid much attention to environmental problems. He noted that it is in “this context that we must also consider and evaluate the terrible consequences caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is associated with horrific environmental destruction.”

“Each act of war is also a war against creation, since it poses a serious threat to the environment,” said the Patriarch of Constantinople.

He added that “the pollution of the atmosphere, water and land by bombing, the risk of nuclear catastrophe, the release of dangerous radiation from nuclear power plants that produce electricity, carcinogenic dust from exploding buildings, the destruction of forests and the depletion of arable agricultural land – all this indicates that people and Ukraine’s ecosystem has suffered and continues to suffer incalculable losses.

Therefore, “the war must stop immediately, and a sincere dialogue should begin,” the head of the Phanar emphasized.