Published on
22/05/2026 - 16:55 GMT+2
The European Union will not immediately attempt to impose sanctions on Patriarch Kirill, the head of Russia's Orthodox Church, despite the new Hungarian government's readiness to lift the country's long-standing opposition.
Kirill, a highly controversial figure with both religious and political influence, has been accused of spreading revisionist propaganda to justify the war in Ukraine. Under his leadership, the Russian Orthodox Church approved a document that called for the annihilation of Ukrainian independence and described the invasion as a "Holy War".
His name, however, will not be included in a "mini package" of sanctions currently being prepared in Brussels. The draft proposal is limited in scope and focuses on individuals linked to Moscow's military-industrial complex, diplomats said.
