Meeting with Patriarch John of Antioch and All the East 2017-12-04 23:30:00 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. <…>