Josep Borrell believes Russia's Patriarch Kirill should be blacklisted by EU

After the European Union revealed the sixth round of sanctions against the Russian Federation, the High Representative of the EU, Josep Borrell asserted that Patriarch Kirill of Moscow should be included in a list of new individual EU sanctions to be enacted as part of the sixth sanctions package. On the eve of the EU summit in Brussels, the leaders agreed to impose a partial oil embargo against Russia, clearing the way for the implementation of the sixth package of anti-Russian sanctions, which includes disconnecting three Russian banks from SWIFT, including Sberbank, a ban on broadcasting three Russian TV channels in the EU, and individual sanctions. A new set of sanctions is scheduled to be agreed on in the coming days.

Borrell was asked whether Patriarch Kirill will be included in the sanctions list, to which the EU's High Representative stated, "Yes, I believe so." He further stated that if he would have been asked the same question earlier, he still would have said yes. In a leaked Commission document, Patriarch Kirill was described as a lifelong ally of President Vladimir Putin who had become one of the most vocal backers of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to media reports. The Russian Patriarch Kirill has escalated his preaching in support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

West's objective of containment and weakening Russia is a long-term strategy: Putin

In the meanwhile, talking about anti-Russian sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the West's objective of containment and weakening Russia is a long-term strategy, and the sanctions have inflicted a significant blow to the whole global economy. He claims that the West's primary goal is to make millions of people's lives miserable in Russia. He claims that Russia will not isolate itself, and in the present world, it is impossible to be completely isolated.

As the EU imposed a Russian oil embargo, Dmitry Birichevsky, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department for Economic Cooperation said that abandoning Russian oil and gas will have catastrophic effects on European and global economies. He stated that Europe is completely reliant on Russian gas and oil. He further claimed that even if it converts to 100% savings, finds suppliers in other parts of the world and uses renewable energy sources, it will only be able to replace about 80% of energy resources "in the best ideal situation."

Image: AP