Franklin Graham meets with Zelenskyy in Berlin, offers prayer as Russia-Ukraine war escalates
Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse, met Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin.
During their meeting, Graham offered prayers for Zelenskyy, Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump, seeking divine guidance for a path to peace in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
"Today I had the privilege to meet with President Zelenskyy and have prayer with him," Graham shared on social media. "I prayed for President Putin, I prayed for him [Zelenskyy], and I prayed for President Trump — that God would give them wisdom and that God would give them a path forward for peace."
The meeting coincided with the European Congress on Evangelism, where Graham addressed over 1,000 Christian leaders from 55 countries.
He emphasized the complexities of the war, stating, "These are very difficult, and I believe only God can solve this."
Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the humanitarian aid provided by Samaritan's Purse, including support for Ukrainian children, displaced individuals and medical institutions.
"We are very grateful for the strong support from the American people, the White House and President Trump," Zelenskyy said. "Thank you for your prayers and for helping people."
The meeting took place against a backdrop of intensified Russian military action in Ukraine.
Recent reports indicate escalating Russian air and ground assaults, with increased use of drones by both sides. Germany has announced plans to assist Ukraine in producing long-range missiles, marking a significant deepening of support for Ukraine's defense industry.
Zelenskyy has proposed a trilateral summit involving Trump and Putin to negotiate an end to the hostilities.
Graham's visit coincided with the European Congress on Evangelism being held in Berlin for the first time in 25 years.
From Ukraine to the U.K. and Sweden to Spain, over 1,000 pastors and ministry leaders from across Europe have come to the city where Billy Graham once preached to declare that they are "unashamed of the Gospel," echoing the words of Romans 1:16.
"There hasn't been a gathering of this kind since the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's congress in Amsterdam in 2000," Graham said. "What a moment for Europe, and what a time to boldly proclaim Christ."
The congress marks a return to the roots of BGEA's global evangelistic mission.
In 1966, Billy Graham held the first World Congress on Evangelism in Berlin, declaring the city a platform to reach the world with the message of salvation.
More than 20 speakers from 13 nations are contributing to the 2025 congress, with worship led by Grammy winner Michael W. Smith, Charity Gayle and top Christian artists from across Europe. The event is being translated in 10 languages.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Marc Van de Wouwer, a Belgian evangelist and retired federal investigator, reflected on his experience at the 2000 Amsterdam congress.
"At the time, there were very few evangelists in Belgium," he said. "That event reignited my passion, and now I'm coming back to help invest in the next generation."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
34 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
European Gas Set for Monthly Gain as Supply Prospects Tighten
European natural gas prices are headed for their first monthly advance since January amid a flurry of geopolitical developments and signs of a tighter market. Benchmark front-month futures are set for a monthly gain of about 8%, even as the July contract traded slightly lower on Friday. In April, contracts had lost more than 20% on economic concerns stemming from the US-led trade war.
Forbes
37 minutes ago
- Forbes
Every 100 Grams Of Ultra Processed Foods Consumed Per Day Increases Risk Of Diseases
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 16: A photo illustration of 'Ultra Processed' foods on February 16, 2018 ... More in London, England. A recent study by a team at the Sorbonne in Paris has suggested that 'Ultra Processed' foods including things like mass-produced bread, ready meals, instant noodles, fizzy drinks, sweets and crisps are tied to the rise in cancer. (Photo illustration by) Think twice before reaching for a bag of chips or your favorite sugary beverage. With every 100 grams of ultra-processed foods you consume each day, your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, hypertension, digestive diseases, and cancer increases, according to recent research. 'Ultra-processed foods are characterized by high sugar, high salt, and other non-nutritive components, exhibiting low nutritional density yet high caloric content,' said Xiao Liu in a press release, a cardiologist at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China. 'These products may contribute to adverse health outcomes through multiple mechanisms, including but not limited to dysregulation of blood lipid profiles, alterations in gut microbiota composition, promotion of obesity, induction of systemic inflammation, exacerbation of oxidative stress, and impairment of insulin sensitivity.' Liu and colleagues analyzed 41 studies conducted on ultra-processed foods and their health impacts that had a total of 8,286,940 adult participants from Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Australia. They found that an additional 100 grams of ultra-processed foods consumed each day was associated with a 14.5% higher risk of hypertension, 5.9% greater risk of cardiovascular events, and 1.2% higher risk of developing cancer. The researchers found the strongest association between ultra-processed foods and digestive diseases as consuming 100 grams of it was linked to a 19.5% increased risk of stomach problems. The most common examples of ultra-processed foods are ready-to-eat meals or frozen foods, sweetened beverages, cooking, mass-produced bread, chips and other savory packaged foods, instant noodles, flavored yogurts, breakfast cereals, and desserts, among others. What makes these products incredibly healthy are the food additives, preservatives, and colorants added during multiple stages of processing. 'Clinicians should clearly explain that ultra-processed foods are typically high in added sugars, sodium, and unhealthy fats while being low in fiber, essential vitamins, and other protective nutrients. This nutritional imbalance contributes to a wide range of adverse health outcomes,' Liu added in the press release. 'Emerging evidence suggests a dose-response relationship between ultra-processed food consumption and negative health outcomes—meaning the more ultra-processed foods consumed, the greater the health risk. Therefore, reducing ultra-processed foods intake, even modestly, may offer measurable health benefits.' Liu's findings were presented at a conference in Singapore earlier this month called ACC Asia 2025 Together. Another recent study published on May 7, 2025m in the journal Neurology, revealed that people who eat higher quantities of ultra-processed foods like hot dogs, cookies, and breakfast cereal are at a greater risk of suffering from early signs of Parkinson's disease compared to those who limit their consumption of ultra-processed foods. 'Eating a healthy diet is crucial as it has been associated with a lower risk of neurodegenerative diseases and the dietary choices we make today can significantly influence our brain health in the future,' said study author Xiang Gao in a press release, who is a PhD student at the Institute of Nutrition, Fudan University in Shanghai, China. 'There's growing evidence that diet might influence the development of Parkinson's disease. Our research shows that eating too much processed food, like sugary sodas and packaged snacks, might be speeding up early signs of Parkinson's disease.'
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
French Open 2025 live updates: Day six latest with Swiatek, Paul and Shelton in action today
Bonjour tout le monde, et bienvenue (hello everyone, and welcome) to The Athletic , where today we're covering the sixth day of action at the French Open at Roland Garros. We're in sunny Paris, France, for the second Grand Slam of the year, and while it was a brilliant day of entertainment yesterday — more on that later — there's loads more to come today. Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Americans Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul, and plenty of others will be in action today, and we'll have it all covered, right here. Why would you want to be anywhere else?
