Diplomatic sources: Why Hungary blocked the adoption of the embargo on Russian oil

Hungary has blocked the adoption of an oil embargo and European sanctions agreed against Moscow in order to remove the name of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, from the EU blacklist, according to several diplomatic sources.

The patriarch is considered a “longtime ally of President Vladimir Putin” and “has become one of the main supporters of the Russian military offensive against Ukraine,” according to the proposal for sanctions, which was submitted to the Member States.

The 27-year-old leaders meeting in Brussels on Monday and Tuesday reached an agreement to cut Russian oil imports by about 90% by the end of the year to cut off funding for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The embargo is the flagship measure of the EU’s sixth sanctions package, which provides for the extension of the EU blacklist to about 60 people, including Patriarch Kirill, and the exclusion of three Russian banks from the international Swift interbank system, including Sberbank. of a major financial institution of Russia.

Unanimity is required from all Member States on European sanctions, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban agreed to the new sanctions package, which was due to be finalized on Wednesday during a meeting of ambassadors before it was published in the EU Official Gazette. of.

Budapest is being consulted in an effort to overcome Hungarian opposition, a diplomatic source said.

SOURCE: AMPE

Source: Capital

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