Key facts
- EU envoys agreed to remove Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from the bloc's sanctions list.
- Sanctions on approximately 3,000 other individuals and entities were renewed for three years.
- Estonia's foreign minister criticized France's push to delist the two Russian oligarchs.
- France reportedly cited national security concerns for its push to remove Usmanov from sanctions.
- France was under pressure from Azerbaijan regarding the case of two detained French nationals.
European Union envoys have agreed to remove Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from the bloc's sanctions list as part of a deal to renew sanctions on approximately 3,000 other individuals and entities for three years. The decision followed intense negotiations, with Latvia dropping its initial opposition after securing the renewal of broader sanctions.
France's strong push to delist Usmanov, citing national security concerns, has drawn criticism from other EU members. Estonia's Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated that France needs to explain its position, describing the move as sending the "wrong message" at a time of increased Russian pressure on Ukraine. Diplomats suggested Paris was under pressure from Azerbaijan concerning the detention of two French nationals, an assertion Baku rejected.
Usmanov, described by the EU as a "pro-Kremlin leading businessperson" with close ties to Vladimir Putin, was sanctioned in 2022. Fridman, a Russian-Israeli citizen and founder of Alfa Group, was labeled by the EU as a "top Russian financier and enabler of Putin's inner circle." The EU's Court of Justice had previously ruled that sanctions against Fridman in 2022 were unjustified.