On Friday, the EU adopted a fifth package of sanctions in view of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. Among the sanctions are restrictive measures against an additional 217 individuals, including Moshe Kantor.

Moshe Kantor has stepped back as President of the European Jewish Congress after the U.K. and the EU sanctioned him for his links to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

‘’Dr Kantor will be stepping back with immediate effect as President of the organization in order to ensure that the EJC continues its important mission without distraction,’’ said a statement issued by the EJC on Friday.

‘’The European Jewish Congress wishes to express its sincere and deep appreciation for the unparalleled contribution of Dr Moshe Kantor over so many years to the flourishing of Jewish life in Europe,’’ it said.

A Russian and British citizen, Kantor has lived for over three decades in Western Europe. He had led the EJC since 2007.

On Friday, the European Union adopted a fifth package of sanctions in view of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. Among the sanctions are restrictive measures against an additional 217 individuals.

A statement from the EU Council said : ‘’The 217 listed individuals include high-ranking Kremlin officials, oligarchs – Moshe Kantor, Boris Rotenberg and Oleg Deripaska -, other prominent businesspeople involved in key economic sectors such as energy, finance, media, defence and arms industry, as well as proponents of disinformation and information manipulation, systematically spreading the Kremlin’s false narrative on the situation in Ukraine.’’
The EJC said ‘’it is saddened by today’s decision of the EU to sanction Dr Moshe Kantor, President of the European Jewish Congress and the World Holocaust Forum Foundation.’’
The EJC said he is a long-tanding and respected Jewish leader, who has dedicated his life to the security and wellbeing of Europe’s Jewish communities and the fight against antisemitism, racism and xenophobia across the European Union.’’

Earlier this week, the U.K. annnounced that it sanctioned Kantor along with other Russian oligarchs for their ties to Putin’s ‘’war economy.’’
The EJC said its Executive Committee ‘’will shortly convene in order to discuss future steps.’’