Zelenskyy appeals for humanitarian aid, church support during Cyprus visit VIDEO

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Cyprus for a series of high-level meetings aimed at advancing peace efforts, strengthening humanitarian support, and deepening international cooperation amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

During his visit, Zelenskyy met with His Beatitude George III, Archbishop of New Justiniana and All Cyprus and Primate of the Church of Cyprus, to discuss Ukraine’s efforts to achieve peace and the country’s pressing humanitarian needs amid the ongoing war, Caliber.Az reports, citing Zelenskyy’s Telegram channel.

The meeting focused on diplomatic efforts to end the conflict as well as international support for the Ukrainian people, Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy emphasized the critical importance of humanitarian assistance at this stage of the war.

“I informed him about our efforts to achieve peace. And also for Ukraine, for our people now, during the war, humanitarian support is important — medical, food aid and resources for the restoration of religious sites,” the Ukrainian president said.

Zelenskyy also called on the Primate of the Church of Cyprus to “support us in these areas,” underscoring the role of religious and humanitarian institutions in alleviating the consequences of the war and supporting Ukraine’s recovery.

In addition to his meeting with the Church leader, Zelenskyy held talks with the President of Cyprus. One of the central issues addressed was the continuation and tightening of sanctions against Russia. Zelenskyy stressed that these measures must remain in effect “as long as Russian aggression against Ukraine continues.”

The discussions also encompassed the strengthening of Ukraine’s defence capabilities, including the supply of air defence systems, the production and delivery of drones, and Cyprus’ participation in the PURL and SAFE programs.

Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Cyprus and its president for their active support and underscored the importance of continued cooperation. “We rely on productive cooperation,” he said, noting that Cyprus’ current presidency of the Council of the European Union, which began on January 1, 2026, offers an opportunity for EU member states to make significant progress in opening negotiation clusters and advancing Ukraine’s EU accession.

By Vafa Guliyeva