Mr. Alexander Zharov, Director General of Gazprom Media Holding was a guest of His Holiness Serbian Patriarch kyr Porfirije on 22 April 2026, at the Patriarchal Palace in Belgrade.
 
During the cordial conversation, views were exchanged on cultural cooperation and the nurturing of the spiritual and historical ties between the Serbian and Russian peoples. The need to preserve traditional values was emphasized, as well as the role of media and the arts in presenting them to the contemporary man.
 
Special attention was given to cultural projects implemented in cooperation with the Russian State Hermitage Museum, including the Hermitage Days in Serbia, which aim to present the rich cultural and spiritual heritage and to further strengthen the bonds between the Serbian and Russian peoples.
 
Patriarch Porfirije emphasized that relations between the Serbian and Russian peoples are founded on strong spiritual and historical grounds and that they should be cultivated in all fields.
 
The meeting was attended by: Mr. Alexander Dybal, Member of the Executive Board of Gazprom Neft, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Serbia, and President of the Russian Business Council for Cooperation with Serbia; Mrs. Evgenia Zharova, spouse of Mr. Zharov; Ms. Sanja Lubardić, Adviser at Gazprom Neft; Ms. Ana Smoklin, film director; Protopresbyter Đorđe Stojisavljević, Head of the Office of the Serbian Patriarch; and Mr. Boris Sekulić, an official of the Office of the Serbian Patriarch.