Lithuania seeks to include the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Kirill, in the next package of the EU sanctions

This was announced by Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis in a comment to the Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT, Espreso reports.

According to him, there was a consensus among the countries regarding the inclusion of Kirill in the sanctions list. There is also a legal framework for this.

"There is a clear package of evidence that Patriarch Kirill was involved. Without proof, it would not even get into the package. This was approved by the ambassadors of all 27 states and, most interestingly, the leaders of 27 states," Landsbergis said at a meeting with reporters.

He added that the decision to impose sanctions against Kirill was agreed upon politically, but it was canceled at the "final stage".

"I don't know for what reasons, I can't answer. But this suggests that we have a legal basis, there was practically a political consensus, so we can try to search again, " the Lithuanian Foreign Minister believes.

Hungary previously supported the removal of the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox church from the sanctions list.

As previously reported, the European Union has removed Patriarch Kirill from the list of persons subject to sanctions of the sixth package.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said that Ukraine will continue to seek sanctions against Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and other Russians who undermine national security.