'Immoral and self-destructive' — Zelensky blasts EU for considering lifting sanctions on Russian oligarchs
"Five hundred Shahed drones per day is certainly not the right time to even begin a discussion about easing sanctions," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sept. 12, after France reportedly joined Slovakia in calling to delist Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has harshly criticized the European Union for its potential to lift sanctions on Russian oligarchs, deeming it both immoral and self-destructive. The EU has until September 15 to renew sanctions on over 3,000 Russian entities and individuals, but failed to do so on September 11. The last extension occurred on March 14.
Slovakia's opposition to the sanctions extension, by calling for the delisting of Russian oligarchs Mikhail Fridman and Alisher Usmanov, has been a sticking point. France, for the first time, has joined Slovakia's demand, causing frustration among member states. Zelensky specifically mentioned Fridman and Usmanov in a social media post, urging the EU to pressure Russia's business sector instead of easing sanctions.
He argued that Russia uses every euro and dollar to prolong the war, making it immoral and self-destructive for Europe to provide Russian businesses with opportunities to avoid the consequences of the conflict.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
