Prior to his visit to Moscow, President Lukashenko drummed up support of metropolitan

At a meeting with Metropolitan Pavel of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, President Lukashenko said that he supported the Orthodox Church’s active participation in public affairs. The meeting took place ahead of Lukashenko’s telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his visit to Moscow. Prior to his appointment in December 2013, Metropolitan Pavel served as Archbishop of Ryazan and Kasimov (Russia). His appointment has affected the independence of the Orthodox Church in Belarus from Russia and provoked a negative reaction in Belarusian society and among Orthodox clergy, who wanted to see a Belarusian national in this position. President Lukashenko allegedly met with Metropolitan Pavlov to enlist his support ahead of talks in Moscow.