Lavrov stressed that external influence in matters relating to the Greek Orthodox Church (EOC) and the autocephalous church of Ukraine is evident.
As the Foreign Minister noted, the “Peace Letter” to the head of the schismatic church of Ukraine Epiphanius from the head of the EOC Archbishop Jerome of Athens and All Greece was preceded by a visit to Athens by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
According to him, the head of the State Department "did not particularly hide that among the issues that he solved there was this one."
In addition, Lavrov continued, American diplomats traveled to Mount Athos for this purpose, and Epiphanius publicly stated that the creation of a church structure would not have been possible without the direct support of Washington.
“Now it becomes obvious that the United States does not want to limit itself to what has already been done, and are trying to promote a split in the Orthodox world as a whole. Such work is carried out with almost all Orthodox churches, ”the diplomat concluded.
On October 12, the Greek Church recognized the right of Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople to grant autocephaly.