Hungary seeks to shield president accused of deporting Ukrainian children from sanctions
The European Union has announced its latest round of sanctions against individuals who actively support Russia’s war against Ukraine. The list includes 71 individuals, but Hungary has removed three people, according to independent sources. Among them is a man who helped deport Ukrainian children. Rustam Nurgaliyevich Minnikhanov, the president of Tatarstan, was removed from the list by Hungary. In his role, he facilitates the illegal and forced deportation of Ukrainian children to camps in Tatarstan, violating the rights of Ukrainian children and Ukrainian law. The EU High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, condemned Hungary’s decision and highlighted Minnikhanov’s alleged actions. Similar attempts have been made by Hungary in the past, including trying to get several Russian oligarchs removed from the EU sanctions list, but these attempts have failed. Last summer, the EU refused to put Patriarch Kirill, a staunch supporter of Putin and the war, on the sanctions list, after facing a Hungarian veto.