Anna Hartz
The European Union is facing a difficult decision over its sanctions against Russia.
The measures target thousands of people and companies linked to Moscow’s war in Ukraine. But a dispute over two wealthy Russian businessmen has put the renewal process at risk, with member states needing to reach a unanimous agreement.
France want billionaire spared from sanctions
The sanctions covering almost 3,000 individuals and organisations are due to expire at midnight on Tuesday unless all 27 EU countries approve an extension, reports DR.
France has demanded that billionaire Alisher Usmanov be removed from the sanctions list. The move has created serious tensions with Latvia, which refuses to accept the proposal.
Negotiations broke down last week after France insisted on removing Usmanov, who is considered close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. French authorities have not publicly confirmed the request. Reuters reported that France had referred to national security interests as the reason for its position.
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs has strongly rejected the proposal. In a video published on X, he said Europe’s pressure on Russia should become stronger while the war continues, not more convenient for the Kremlin.
The Latvian government held an emergency meeting on Tuesday as officials worked to find a compromise with France and other EU governments.
The dispute has become more complicated because Luxembourg wants Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman removed from the sanctions list as well. According to reports, Luxembourg made the demand after France pushed for Usmanov’s removal.
Been under sanctions since 2022
Fridman has taken legal action against Luxembourg and is seeking billions in compensation after his assets were frozen. Slovakia has also supported removing both businessmen from the sanctions list, although neither Slovakia nor Luxembourg has publicly confirmed all details of the negotiations.
Ukraine has criticised the proposed changes. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Usmanov and Fridman were placed under sanctions because of their connections to Russia’s leadership and its war against Ukraine. He described any easing of the restrictions as unacceptable.
Usmanov has been under EU sanctions since 2022. He holds Russian and Uzbek citizenship and has interests in major industries, including mining. The EU Council has described him as having particularly close ties to Putin.
Fridman is a Russian-Israeli businessman and a major figure in the banking sector. He helped establish Alfa-Bank, one of Russia’s largest banks.
EU ambassadors continued talks on Tuesday as the deadline approached. Without unanimous approval, the sanctions could expire.
