Russia’s Embassy in Athens has released a scathing statement attributed to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, accusing Greece of systematically “dismantling” decades of bilateral cooperation over Ukraine.
Greece has not yet responded to the accusations. The statement marks one of the harshest diplomatic rebukes from Moscow toward Athens since the conflict began nearly four years ago.
A “dismantled” relationship between Russia and Greece
Lavrov claims that Greece has severed ties across all sectors—politics, economy, and culture—and criticizes “official Athens” for maintaining “aggressive anti-Russian rhetoric” and “unfounded Russophobic accusations.”
The Minister remarked that “Russia would never have permitted something similar at the expense of Greece,” emphasizing the depth of the diplomatic rift.
The diaspora and military aid
Accusation were primarily directed at Greece’s decision to supply weaponry to Ukraine. Moscow argues that these arms are being used in regions where a “large, peace-loving Greek diaspora” has resided for centuries.
The statement accuses Athens of ignoring the “colossal number of problems and direct threats” its military support poses to ethnic Greeks living in the Donbas and Crimea regions. It also highlights the November 2025 agreements between Athens and Kyiv regarding maritime drones and Greece’s participation in the PURL initiative for purchasing US weapons.
Lavrov suggested that Greek leadership only joined these initiatives after “senior comrades” (referring to the US and NATO) “persistently pointed out this ‘omission.'” Moscow further accused Kyiv of “methodically pressuring” Greece to hand over its highly effective Russian-made air defense systems (such as the S-300), regardless of Greece’s own national security requirements.
Public disconnect
Finally, the Russian side pointed to a July 2025 poll, claiming that 72% of the Greek public favors a neutral stance, suggesting that the current government’s “neoliberal totalitarianism” is not aligned with its own citizens’ sentiments.
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