EU poised to lift sanctions on Russia-linked billionaires Usmanov and Fridman, diplomats say

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha has firmly stated that removing sanctions against Russian businessmen Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from the sanction list is not acceptable. Sybiha emphasized that Usmanov and Fridman are part of Russia's aggressive regime that is waging an unjustified war against Ukraine. He argued that their inclusion in the sanction list is justified and that there has been no change in circumstances to warrant their delisting.

According to Sybiha, measures should be intensified and the scope of sanctions expanded. He also supported the extension of the sanction period from six to twelve months in order to dissuade Russian oligarchs and prevent them from influencing decisions. The Committee of Permanent Representatives met on September 14 to discuss the extension of the sanction regime prompted by Ukraine's territorial integrity violations.

The committee decided to extend the regime by an additional seven days, until September 22. A spokesperson for Ireland, currently holding the presidency of the EU Council, highlighted that extending the sanctions is essential to weaken Russia's military capabilities and to maintain pressure on those who aid and benefit from Russia's actions.

However, EU member states were unable to reach a consensus on extending one sanction program. Slovakia insisted on removing Usmanov and Fridman from the list, while France proposed removing only Usmanov. Most other countries were not willing to consider removing anyone from the list. The debate also centered on whether to extend the sanctions for six or twelve months, with Slovakia opposing a longer period.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the international community to keep sanctions in place and to impose new, stricter restrictions on Russia's missile production and financial sector, as well as to implement Senator Lindsey Graham's proposed sanctions against Russia. Zelenskyy noted that Usmanov and Fridman, among other Russian business figures, have not taken any steps to oppose the ongoing conflict.