EU negotiates extension of sanctions against Russia / France calls for oligarch Alisher Usmanov to be exempted

The European Union was trying on Monday to reach an agreement on renewing sanctions against Russia, with negotiations blocked by France’s demand that oligarch Alisher Usmanov be removed from the sanctions list. Representatives of the 27 member states met in Brussels, and another meeting was scheduled for the afternoon to formalize a possible agreement.

The European regime targets approximately 3,000 individuals and entities accused of supporting Russia’s war effort in Ukraine. The sanctions, which include asset freezes and visa bans, must be renewed every six months. Without an agreement by the deadline, set for midnight between Tuesday and Wednesday, the entire regime could be lifted automatically.

The Irish EU presidency proposed extending the renewal period to 36 months. France cites national security reasons for exempting Usmanov, while international media report that the move could be linked to an agreement concerning the release of French citizens detained in Azerbaijan.

Luxembourg also called for Mikhail Fridman to be removed from the list. Scandinavian and Baltic countries oppose any exceptions, believing they would create a dangerous precedent. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that this is not the time to lift sanctions or to “save Russian oligarchs.”