Office of the Spokesperson
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus:
Secretary Michael R. Pompeo met today with His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphany of Kyiv and All Ukraine, Primate of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Secretary Pompeo congratulated Metropolitan Epiphany on his receipt of the Athenagoras Human Rights Award for his defense of all Ukrainians’ ability to worship in accordance with their faith, free from external interference. The Secretary and the Metropolitan shared their concerns about abuses against religious freedom in Russia-occupied Crimea and Russia-controlled parts of the Donbas. They expressed their hopes for a diplomatic resolution to the Russia-instigated conflict in eastern Ukraine, now in its sixth year, underscoring the need to heal the wounds of war and foster unity.