Moscow: Russia will not abandon the Orthodox people in Ukraine and will work to ensure their legal rights are respected, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday. 'I would like to assure everyone present that Russia will not leave the Orthodox people of Ukraine in trouble and will ensure that their legal rights are respected and that canonical Orthodoxy regains its central place in the spiritual life of the people on Ukrainian lands,' Lavrov said at an Easter-themed reception.
According to Anadolu Agency, Lavrov stated that guaranteeing these objectives is part of Russia's aim for a fair settlement in the Ukraine conflict, which he attributed to actions by the West. He mentioned that President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed this position during a phone call with US President Donald Trump. Lavrov emphasized that the Russian state, along with the Foreign Ministry, will collaborate with the Russian Orthodox Church in international efforts.
Lavrov accused the West of overlooking crimes worldwide if they align with its global agenda, claiming this approach helps maintain its dominance. He criticized Ukraine for allegedly targeting Russian connections since 2014 and claimed that Kyiv has not spared canonical Orthodoxy.
He cited the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC) as a "tragic" example, stating that authorities in Kyiv have pushed it toward legal dissolution. Ukrainian authorities have yet to respond to Lavrov's comments.
The UOC separated from Moscow in May 2022 after Russian Patriarch Kirill supported the war in Ukraine. Despite this, it is still labeled as "pro-Russian" by Kyiv and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. In August 2024, Ukraine enacted a law banning religious organizations tied to Russia, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as a step towards "spiritual independence."
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized the law, claiming it aims to "destroy true Orthodoxy" and replace the UOC with a "false church."