Financial Times: EU proposal would unfreeze Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov’s assets while keeping him on the sanctions list
Ireland and the European External Action Service have proposed keeping Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov on the sanctions list while unfreezing his assets and allowing him to enter the European Union, European diplomats told the Financial Times.
EU diplomats have proposed a deal to keep Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov on the sanctions list while unfreezing his assets and allowing him to enter the European Union, according to European officials. This compromise aims to extend the sanctions list by one week, which is set to expire on September 14. The sanctions list, which includes 3,000 individuals and entities, requires the unanimous agreement of all 27 member states.
Slovakia and France had demanded that the sanctions against Usmanov be lifted, but their proposal faced opposition from Germany, Italy, and other countries. France's decision appears to be influenced by a national security issue, with Paris seeking to satisfy international partners such as Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan. These countries had lobbied for Usmanov's removal from the sanctions list, and France's move towards accommodating their requests may be part of a prisoner release deal with Azerbaijan, potentially involving the return of French businessman Martin Ryan, who received a 10-year prison sentence in Baku.
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