Hungary signals willingness to back sanctions on Russia's Patriarch Kirill in new EU "mini-package"

Ambassadors of European Union member states are expected to discuss a mini-package of sanctions this week that could include Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (secular name Vladimir Gundyayev).

Source: European Pravda, citing Euronews

Details: The package reportedly targets around ten individuals who were previously shielded by the government of former Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán, as well as several Russian vessels.

Euronews has reported that the new Hungarian government has signalled that it is willing to allow the EU to impose sanctions on Patriarch Kirill and other figures previously protected by Orbán.

This could pave the way for Gundyayev, one of Russia's most influential religious figures, to be added to the EU sanctions blacklist. Officials told Euronews that the "mini-package" is in preparation.

The EU first attempted to sanction Gundyayev in 2022, accusing him of supporting Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and spreading revisionist propaganda, but Hungary, under Orbán, blocked the initiative, arguing that it was a matter of religious freedom.

Now Brussels hopes that Hungary's new prime minister, Péter Magyar, will allow the decision to be taken.

Márton Hajdu, a close ally of Magyar who chairs the foreign affairs committee of the Hungarian parliament, told Euronews: "Sanctions which would undermine Hungary's economic stability are an absolute no-go. But in cases where the previous government used the power of the Hungarian State to cut private deals, I expect the new government not to block joint EU efforts at increasing the pressure on Russia to end this war."

Other Russian individuals who were initially on the sanctions list but were later removed at the insistence of Viktor Orbán include Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyaryov and oligarch Viatcheslav Kantor. Their names could now be put back on the list.

"Revising names is not unusual," one source said.

In addition, the proposal also targets several vessels from Russia's so-called shadow fleet, which Moscow uses to circumvent Western restrictions on oil sales.

Background:

• Among the issues EU leaders are expected to discuss at the European Council meeting in Brussels on 18-19 June 2026 are Ukraine's prospects for EU accession, the European Union's 21st Russia sanctions package, and negotiations on peace in Ukraine.
• Following a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on 11 May, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the EU's 21st Russia sanctions package may include measures targeting the Russian military-industrial complex and the shadow fleet.

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