EU envoys agreed to drop Patriarch Kirill, who heads the Russian Orthodox Church and has been a vocal supporter of President Vladimir Putin and his war in Ukraine, from the EU’s proposed list of sanctioned individuals, according to people familiar with the matter.
That’s according to Bloomberg.
Orban first demanded his removal in early May but it wasn’t discussed at a meeting when EU leaders met on Monday, the people said. His demand angered many EU ambassadors but they ended up accepting Hungary’s demand to ensure adoption.
Hungary’s intransigence may have destroyed any remaining goodwill with the other 26 members of the EU, one of the people said, adding that Budapest will be more isolated than ever.
