Key facts
- Latvia opposes a proposed EU deal to lift sanctions on Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman.
- The proposal would lift sanctions on Usmanov and Fridman in exchange for renewing sanctions on 3,000 other individuals and entities.
- EU sanctions on Russia-linked individuals and businesses are set to expire Tuesday unless unanimously renewed.
- Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs stated Latvia cannot accept the offer.
- France and Luxembourg had previously pushed for sanctions to be lifted on Usmanov and Fridman, respectively.
- Fridman is claiming $16 billion from Luxembourg in an arbitration case.
Latvia has stated it cannot accept a proposed European Union deal that would lift sanctions on Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman in return for renewing sanctions on thousands of other individuals and entities. The sanctions, which include asset freezes and travel bans imposed due to Russia's war in Ukraine, are due to expire at midnight on Tuesday unless all 27 EU member states unanimously agree to renew them.
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs posted on X late Monday that extending sanctions for 36 months would be the right step, but "the price for it must not be simply striking both individuals from the sanctions list. Latvia cannot accept such an offer." He announced an emergency cabinet meeting for Tuesday to discuss the issue and stated Latvia would work with Brussels and Paris to find a solution.
France had previously sparked anger among EU partners and Ukraine by pushing for sanctions on Russian-Uzbek businessman Usmanov to be lifted, reportedly due to pressure from Azerbaijan over detained French nationals. Luxembourg then demanded similar treatment for Russian businessman Fridman. Both men have disputed the cases against them and are pursuing legal action to have the sanctions removed. Fridman is claiming $16 billion from Luxembourg in an arbitration case, with diplomats suggesting Luxembourg argued its case to maintain sanctions on Fridman could be weakened if sanctions were lifted on Usmanov. Ambassadors from EU member countries were scheduled to restart talks on Tuesday morning to resolve the impasse.