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Bulgaria Reportedly Signals Opposition to EU Sanctions Against Russian Patriarch Kirill
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Bulgaria has reportedly signaled its opposition to parts of the European Union’s proposed 21st package of sanctions against Russia, Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) reported on June 17.
Specifically, Sofia objects to the inclusion of Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill on the EU sanctions blacklist.
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The 21st sanctions package, introduced by the European Commission on June 9, is expected to be adopted by the end of July, according to BNR correspondent Angelina Piskova in Brussels.
The European Commission proposed adding Patriarch Kirill to the sanctions blacklist due to his continued support for the war in Ukraine. BNR indicated that Sofia intends to shield the Russian spiritual leader from these measures.
Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill has been a vocal supporter of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, consistently framing the war as a holy struggle and offering spiritual justification for Moscow’s aggression. Under his leadership, the church effectively operates as an extension of the state’s geopolitical apparatus—not only endorsing the military domestically but also expanding its reach globally.
As detailed in a recent investigation by Jess Daly, a United24 Media reporter, the Russian Orthodox Church is currently spreading across Africa to help Moscow extend its political, economic, and military influence under the guise of religion.
Among Bulgarian religious leaders, only Metropolitan Naum of Ruse has publicly expressed an official position aligning with the larger international religious community. He recently joined Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in condemning a Russian attack on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra in the Ukrainian capital, BNR reported.
In a recent interview with Russian state media, Patriarch Kirill stated that citizens who oppose fundamental state policies should face legal consequences as “traitors to the motherland,” while framing Russia as a spiritual opponent to Western civilization.
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