The official website of the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church has published the full recording of the conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Porfirije.
The meeting was also attended by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, as well as Serbian Orthodox Church Metropolitans Irinej and Antonije.
We are sharing the full transcript of the conversation below, and you can also watch the video to see what was discussed.
Here is the complete transcript (the parts originally in Russian have been translated through a human-assisted ChatGPT process):
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V. Putin: Your Holinesses!
Let me warmly welcome you to Moscow and also to the wards – there is a special atmosphere here. We are very glad to see you.
I know that the Serbian Orthodox Church makes a significant contribution to strengthening relations between our peoples, who traditionally maintain the warmest, closest, most trusting allied relations.
Let me congratulate you on the bright holiday of Easter. This is our common bright holiday.
I have already said that Russian-Serbian relations always have a special character, and today too. This is also because we are connected by strong, deep, spiritual common roots.
We are always glad to see you. On May 9, we are expecting the President of Serbia [ Aleksandar Vucic ] in Moscow for the celebrations dedicated to the Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
We know that the situation in the Balkans is difficult, and we know about your efforts to strengthen Serbia’s position, including the importance of the Serbian Council that you held.
We are always glad to see you. Welcome!
Patriarch Porfirije: Mr. President, excuse me, I will say a few words – I do not speak Russian very well, but I understand everything. Bishop Ireneus is also with me, who speaks Russian very well.
Thank you for receiving us, and I congratulate you on Easter. Christ is risen! I hope that the resurrection is our path and reality, a fact of our faith. This means that the victory is known and that it depends on the will of God. We must do what depends on us.
I wanted to thank you for everything you do at the level of values. Because the foundation of values – without values, without ideology – not ideology, as you said, psychologically, but in essence – it is impossible to live. Everything depends on faith: how you believe – such is our life, our words, and so on.
You know and you said it yourself that in the past the relations in our churches were always relations of love and assistance between the Russian and Serbian churches. I think that today it is the same… Yes, it seems so?
Patriarch Kirill: Yes.
Patriarch Porfirije: My predecessors – the patriarchs of the Serbian Church – in the past were always connected with the patriarchs of the Russian Church. And my predecessor, His Holiness Patriarch Irinej, said: we Serbs need… How did he say it?
Metropolitan Irinej: He said that our small boat, sailing in a troubled sea, should always be tied to the great Russian ship.
Patriarch Porfirije: I wanted to say that we feel and believe that this is true.
I need to tell you so that you know, and you already know, but I need to say again that the Serbian people look at the Russian people as one. Sometimes it may be that the Serbs have great hope, hope depends more on Russia, Russian politics, than on Serbian politics. Maybe it is a paradox.
I was in Jerusalem two weeks ago and spoke with the Patriarch of Jerusalem, we talked a lot. He did not know that I would be in Moscow. And when we talked about Orthodoxy globally, he told me: we, the Orthodox, have one trump card. I asked: which one? Vladimir Putin, he told me. These words will say everything.
It should be emphasized that we are grateful to you for your support and position related to Kosovo and the Serbian Republic and, of course, Montenegro too – our people, our church are there. You know very well that without your support and China, I do not know what would have happened to Kosovo. I was there on Easter, I served the patriarchal [service] – it is the capital of the Serbian Patriarch.
We ask that you stand by this position and do everything possible. Because – regardless of politics, regardless of people, regardless of the news that we have – without Kosovo, I can say, and without Republika Srpska, the Serbian people have no prospects.
Of course, we have a very good relationship with the President, and he sent you his regards and told me that he would be here on May 9th regardless of the circumstances in Europe and so on.
Our position, as regards Kosovo, as regards the Republic of Srpska and Montenegro, I think and feel that it depends on the position of the Russian state, the Russian Federation on the global level. My desire and that of the majority in our church, that in the long term, if there is a new geopolitical division, we should be close in this Russian environment.
Metropolitan Ireneus: In the Russian world.
Patriarch Porfirije: Yes, in the Russian world, in the Orthodox world. We talked about Orthodoxy with His Holiness the Patriarch, it’s not that simple.
We also have a revolution these days. What is it called?
Metropolitan Ireneus: Colour.
Patriarch Porfirije: Colour revolution, you know that. I hope that we will overcome this temptation, as you said. Because we know and feel that the power centres from the West do not want to develop the identity of the Serbian people and culture.
Thank you [for] what you said, and may God give you strength and wisdom. Our prayers are always with you, and I hope that the Lord helps.
V. Putin: Your Holiness, you mentioned identity. This is what the Church in general and the Russian Orthodox Church under the leadership of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia are doing. His Holiness the Patriarch is making a great deal of effort to strengthen our traditional values, our spiritual principles.
And always, when we meet, we remember and talk about our brothers in Orthodoxy, and this is the position of His Holiness the Patriarch. We are sure that in conversations with you he constantly speaks about this.
Your Holiness.
Patriarch Kirill: Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich!
I am very glad that this meeting has taken place and that it will continue.
Among all the local Orthodox Churches, the Serbian Church is the closest to the Russian Church — culturally, linguistically. And even historically: our countries have never fought against each other, and if we ever did go to war, it was only side by side against a common enemy.
This love for Russians, for the Russian people, for the Russian Church — it is organically woven into Serbian culture and the Serbian people. So for us, they are our closest friends, our brethren — in spirit and in worldview. This matters a great deal, both when we discuss problems together and when we meet on pan-Orthodox platforms. The Serbian Church is our closest Church. And I say this not just because the Serbian Patriarch is sitting here, but because it is true.
Then if we look at history, the Serbian people and the Serbian Church have never betrayed Russia. Some Slavic nations — I won’t name them — under the influence of powerful Western militarist forces changed their orientation for a time, later repented, but still changed. The Serbs never did. This love for Russia is, one might say, embedded even in the genetic makeup of the Serbian people.
All of this greatly influences inter-church relations. We are always like-minded. And when discussions arise in pan-Orthodox forums, you always feel the support of the Serbian Church.
And then, of course, there is also this: the Serbs are geographically more westward than we are — that’s just how God arranged it. This is a Church that comes face to face with the Western world, from which one can — and surely has — received much that is valuable in science and culture.
But what is happening today with human morality and ethics in the West — I’ll say it plainly, there’s no need to be shy — it is demonic.
Patriarch Porfirije: Yes.
Patriarch Kirill: Why demonic? Because the goal of the demon is to make man lose the distinction between good and evil. There’s no right or wrong — just behavioral alternatives. The Church says: you cannot act this way. The Word of God says: you cannot act this way. But modern secular culture says: why not? A person is free to act however they want — it’s just a matter of personal choice.
This approach destroys the moral foundations of human existence, and that can lead to terrible civilizational catastrophes. Because when the integrity of the human personality is destroyed, everything else falls apart. The Russian Orthodox Church, as you know, stands firm on this — and we defend it on international platforms. But we also, of course, need good allies.
Of all the local Orthodox Churches — and I say this not because His Holiness is here today, but from experience — the Serbian Church is the one that is always with us. And Serbia is the country that has never betrayed Russia. I won’t name other Slavic countries that, under powerful political and military pressure, for a time lost their good relations with Russia. Serbia has always stood with us. That’s why I’m so glad about today’s meeting.
Those sitting at this table today — His Holiness and Bishop Irinej — are truly spiritual leaders of their people. And I know what good feelings they carry in their hearts toward Russia and toward you personally. So for me, emotionally, this is a very uplifting event — that we have all met. And I hope this meeting will lead to positive developments in the relationship between the Russian and Serbian Churches, and between Serbia and Russia.
Vladimir Putin: Your Holiness, you mentioned what’s happening to the west of us. We all know, we’ve all seen and witnessed your meeting with the Pope of Rome, who left us this Easter. That, I believe, also shows that in the West there are still people — and spiritual forces — who seek to restore relationships and revive spiritual values.
Patriarch Kirill: Absolutely right.
Vladimir Putin: Western culture — regardless of what anyone says — is founded on Christian principles.
Patriarch Kirill: You were very right to mention the late Pope. He was a man of firm beliefs and convictions, despite the great pressure put on him — including pressure to cool relations with the Russian Church.
He is now in the next world, so I can say this without asking his permission. When he was under particularly intense pressure — forgive the rough expression — he simply said: “Don’t make me quarrel with Kirill.” Then he turned around and left. The pressure came from his close advisers — saying the course should be changed, that ties with Russia were politically problematic.
That phrase — “Don’t make me quarrel with Kirill” — stayed with me, always in my mind, while he was alive. Our relations were good. Now the Lord has called him to the next world, but I retain only the warmest memories — of his attitude toward Russia and the Russian Church.
Vladimir Putin: I do too. We met more than once. I can say with confidence — he had a genuinely warm attitude toward Russia. Considering his Latin American background and the prevailing sentiments of most Latin American citizens, he undoubtedly felt this connection and built his relationship with Russia in a spirit of sincere goodwill.
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