EU targets Russian Patriarch Kirill in new round of proposed sanctions – diplomat

div classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodivpBRUSSELS Reuters – The European Commission has proposed freezing the assets of Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, a diplomat said on Wednesday.p

pThe Patriarch has been added to a draft blacklist that already includes hundreds of military officers and businessmen close to the Kremlin whom the EU accuses of supporting the war in Ukraine.pdivdivdiv classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodiv

pThe sanction, which would entail an asset freeze and a travel ban, needs the backing of EU states to be adopted.p

pEU diplomats are set to meet this week to discuss the sanction, which is part of a wider package proposed by the European Commission earlier on Wednesday including an oil embargo and restrictions on Russian banks.p

pA first meeting of EU envoys on Wednesday ended without a deal, mostly because of some countries criticism of the oil ban and other oilrelated measures, such as a ban on EU shipping services for Russian oil, officials said.p

pEarlier in the day, the Russian Orthodox Church scolded Pope Francis after he urged the Patriarch not to become the Kremlins “altar boy”, telling the Vatican that such remarks would hurt dialogue between the churches.p

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pp Reporting by Francesco Guarascio Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Hugh Lawsonp

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