Franklin Graham Tells Fox News if People ‘Pray for Putin’ God Might ‘Change His Heart’

Evangelical minister Reverend Franklin Graham told Fox News that people should pray for Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin in order that God might “change his heart” and turn him “away from sin.”

Graham is the head of Samaritan’s Purse, and has been in Ukraine with the charity, which runs a handful of medical facilities in the war-torn country. The reverend will also be delivering an Easter sermon on Sunday, and in an interview with Fox News Digital’s Maureen Mackey, said that the power of prayer could change the course of Putin’s war as he praised the Ukrainian people for their faith:

“And I admire them, and we want to do all that we can to help them. It’s a mess. It’s going to get worse, I’m afraid. And what President Putin’s end game is, I don’t know. But I think we just need to pray that God can change his heart,” he added.

“And I would recommend for people to pray for Putin. I don’t want to be misunderstood [on this point]. I want people to pray that God would change his heart. And turn his heart around, and that he would see the sin that he’s involved in. That he would repent and turn from it.”

He added, “And if we pray, that could happen.”

Mr. Putin has been condemned as a “war criminal” who is committing “genocide” by President Joe Biden and others.

President Biden, a devout catholic, has not called on people to pray for Putin.

When Putin’s current campaign of violence began in February, the president did invoke prayer, saying in a statement that “The prayers of the world are with the people of Ukraine tonight as they suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces. President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering.”

Have a tip for us? tips@mediaite.com