The new Hungarian government has signalled its readiness to allow the European Union to sanction Patriarch Kirill, the head of Russia's Orthodox Church, and other individuals whom former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had protected,Euronews can confirm.
The move can pave the way for one of the most influential religious figures in Russia to be added to the bloc's blacklist. A "mini" package of sanctions is already under preparation, officials said.
The EU first tried to blacklist Kirill in 2022, accusing him of supporting the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and spreading revisionist propaganda. But Hungary, under Orbán, blocked the move, calling it an issue of religious freedom.
Brussels hopes that Orbán's successor, Péter Magyar, will now allow the decision. Magyar is keen to distance himself from Orbán's notorious use of veto power.
"Sanctions which would undermine Hungary’s economic stability are an absolute no-go," Márton Hajdu, a close ally of Magyar who chairs the foreign affairs committee of the Hungarian parliament, told Euronews.
