Patriarch Kirill has been included in the new EU sanctions package
10 June 16:07
After Viktor Orbán lost power in Hungary and his ability to block EU sanctions against Russia, Brussels decided not to delay in imposing a visa ban and asset freeze on two high-ranking officials of Putin’s regime. The European Commission proposed including Patriarch Kirill and Arkady Dvorkovich, president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), writes EUobserver, which reviewed the EC document, as reported by "Komersant Ukrainian".
Orbán had previously refused to support sanctions against them. Now, the EC insists, Vladimir Gundyaev (head of the Russian Orthodox Church) must be blacklisted because “he has consistently justified and supported Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.” Dvorkovich, meanwhile, “publicly supported” this war. Additionally, he is linked to the Russian Chess Federation (RCF), which, through its actions, legitimized the seizure of Ukrainian territories by holding chess tournaments there, the EC notes.
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Dvorkovich served as first vice president of the RCF from 2007 to 2009, then headed the federation’s supervisory board until 2014. Five days ago, the federation re-nominated him as a candidate for the presidency of FIDE in the elections to be held in September at the General Assembly of the international federation in Samarkand.
Several other sports officials may also face sanctions. The EC’s list includes Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev, President of the Russian Wrestling Federation Mikhail Mamiashvili, and Stanislav Pozdnyakov, who headed the Russian Olympic Committee until 2024. The proposal to impose sanctions is based on their pro-war views.
As for non-personal sanctions, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the preparation of the largest package of restrictive measures against banks and financial companies, as well as proposals to freeze the price cap on Russian oil until January, ban the sale of LNG tankers to Russia, and impose sanctions on fishermen for the first time.
The sanctions package must be unanimously approved by EU leaders.
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