Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill and Lukoil founder Vagit Alekperov have been removed from the draft 21st EU package of sanctions against Russia.
This was reported by European Pravda, citing diplomatic sources.
Kirill and Alekperov were excluded from the draft package at Bulgaria's request. It has also become clear that the most problematic issues in the sanctions package have been resolved – largely by watering them down.
Specifically, the scope of the ban on EU entry for Russian combatants will be significantly narrowed in scope; a proposed ban on EU imports of cod, pollock, and certain other fish will be removed from the package entirely; and plans for strict restrictions on LNG originating from Russia and related tankers will not go ahead either.
One positive development is that the member states have agreed in principle to temporarily freeze the price cap on Russian oil at US$44.10 per barrel.
Other unresolved issues remain. Following the latest Coreper meeting on 10 July, it was reported that Austria has renewed its request for the lifting of sanctions restrictions on Rasperia and unfreezing of its assets. Rasperia is a Russian investment company linked to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, which has billion-dollar legal claims against a subsidiary of Austria's Raiffeisen Bank.