Hungary has successfully pushed to exclude several high-profile Russian figures and entities from the European Union’s 15th sanctions package, according to Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó.
Szijjártó revealed that Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Russian Olympic Committee, and Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, were all omitted from the new sanctions list. The move reflects Hungary’s continued stance of diverging from broader EU measures targeting Russia amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
This development underscores Hungary’s approach to maintaining diplomatic channels and avoiding broader sanctions that could affect key Russian figures and institutions. Szijjártó has previously emphasized Budapest’s focus on protecting Hungarian interests and ensuring a pragmatic approach to EU policymaking.
The 15th sanctions package, designed to further pressure Moscow, remains significant but now lacks the inclusion of these prominent individuals and organizations due to Hungary’s intervention.
