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Ecumenical Patriarchate Responds to Moscow with Strong Rejection of Allegations

Published January 13, 2026, 13:27

The Ecumenical Patriarchate has responded in strong terms to allegations made by Russian state agencies against Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The Phanar's statement characterizes the Russian side's claims as "fantastical scenarios, false news, insults, and fabricated information." This criticism comes in response to accusations portraying Patriarch Bartholomew as a "paid agent" of Western intelligence services and accusing him of collaborating with extremist nationalist and neo-Nazi elements. The Patriarchate emphasizes that it will not succumb to such attacks and will continue its ecumenical mission. The dispute stems from the Ecumenical Patriarchate's 2018 decision to grant autocephaly to the Church of Ukraine, which provoked a strong reaction from the Russian Orthodox Church. Simultaneously, the Turkish press, particularly the conservative media, extensively covered the Russian accusations, reproducing their rhetoric.