Evangelist Franklin Graham, CEO and president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) and Samaritan’s Purse, revealed he met with and offered prayer for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

On May 28, Franklin shared the news with an assembly of over 1,000 pastors and Christian leaders from over 57 countries and territories, gathered together in Berlin, Germany, for the European Congress of Evangelism. The Congress aims to equip evangelists to share the Gospel across Europe.

“Today I had the privilege of meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin and to have prayer with him,” Franklin said. “I prayed for him, and I also prayed for President Vladimir Putin and President Donald J. Trump—that God would give these leaders wisdom and give them a path forward to peace. The complications in Ukraine and Russia are very difficult, and I believe only God can solve this.”

Zelenskyy thanked Franklin for the humanitarian help Ukraine received from Samaritan’s Purse.

“We are very grateful for the strong support from the American people, the White House, and President Trump,” Zelenskyy said. “We truly hope this support continues. It is very important to us. Thank you for your prayers and for helping people. The most important thing is to help and support people, to support children. And for the financial assistance you have provided to both churches and people. This means a lot. Thank you. We will not forget this.”

Franklin then led the gathering in a prayer for Zelenskyy, Vladmir Putin and President Trump. 

“Father, we pray tonight for President Putin,” Franklin prayed. “And Father, we pray that You would give him wisdom, that You would work in his heart, and that he would desire to have peace. And Father, we pray for President Zelenskyy, that You would work in his heart, and that desire for peace would be in his heart as well. And Father, we pray that You would give them a path. A path that would allow them to move forward. Father, we believe You’re the only one who can do this.”

After praying that God would provide wisdom to Trump in his aim to help bring peace, Franklin acknowledged God’s sovereignty.

“Father, none of this can happen without You,” he said. “We’ve got to have Your help. That You would guide and direct. You can open doors and You can close doors. So, God, we thank You and we praise You. So tonight, Father, we give You the glory. And we pray all of this in the name of Your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.”

In a press conference prior to the May 27 opening night event, Franklin stressed that “Prayer is the most important thing we can do” for reconciliation between the nations to occur.

Through social media posts, Franklin called the global church to pray for Ukraine and Russia by asking, “Will you join us in praying for peace as well?”

Franklin serves as a key speaker at the Congress, which is hosted by BGEA. In 1966, Billy Graham served as the honorary chairman of the World Congress on Evangelism, also held in Berlin.

Photo: Franklin Graham Facebook