Russia and Turkey's disinformation campaign against the Ecumenical Patriarchate
The Ecumenical Patriarchate is currently being squeezed by Turkey and Russia, both of which see the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians as an extension of Western influence that threatens their respective political ambitions. Dr. Aykan Erdemir and John Lechner join the Greek Current to talk about Russia’s campaign of disinformation against Patriarch Bartholomew, why Turkey’s President Erdogan is joining this Russian campaign, and the threat it poses to the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s survival. We also look at what steps the West should take to counter Putin and Erdogan’s moves.
Dr. Aykan Erdemir is the senior director of the Turkey program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a former Turkish lawmaker.
John Lechner is a former financial analyst and is now a graduate student at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. He writes on the politics and languages of the former Soviet Union, Turkey and Africa.
Read Dr. Aykan Erdemir and John Lechner’s article in Balkan Insight: Russia-Turkey Pincer Movement Threatens Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Survival
You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:
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