Italy and Bulgaria are blocking the inclusion of Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill in the European Union’s 21st sanctions package against Russia, according to reports, as the two countries raised objections to the European Commission’s proposal to impose personal restrictive measures on the head of the Russian church.
Italy’s position was shaped by concerns from the Vatican, which warned against creating a precedent of sanctioning the leader of a Christian confession, according to confidential information reported by Politico. Bulgaria had previously voiced similar reservations, arguing that sanctioning a religious figure would be unwarranted. The objections have stalled efforts to include Patriarch Kirill in the new sanctions package, which is still under discussion among EU member states.
Disagreements within the bloc also extend to maritime shipping measures. Greece, Malta and Cyprus — countries whose tankers are involved in transporting Russian oil by sea — blocked a proposed freeze on the scheduled mid-July review of the price cap on Russian oil, currently set at $44 per barrel. Earlier, Greece and Malta opposed a separate proposal to ban the provision of servicing to Russian-flagged vessels, leading to the shelving of that measure within the 21st sanctions package.
The disagreements highlight persistent internal tensions within the EU between political solidarity with Ukraine and the economic interests of member states that remain reliant on Russian energy logistics. Without consensus on full restrictions on Russian maritime transport, the effectiveness of price cap mechanisms remains limited, as channels for moving Russian oil stay open.
