EU agrees to lift sanctions on Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman
EU member states’ permanent representatives have agreed to remove two Russian billionaires — USM Holdings founder Alisher Usmanov and Alfa Group co-founder Mikhail Fridman — from the sanctions list, according to Reuters and Euronews.
EU representatives have agreed to remove Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from the sanctions list. The sanctions, which were set to expire on September 15, will now be extended for three years in exchange for the businessmen being removed from the sanctions list. Slovakia, France, and Luxembourg pushed for the removal of the sanctions against Usmanov and Fridman, with France citing national security considerations and Luxembourg linking its support to a lawsuit filed by Fridman against Luxembourg's authorities.
The decision was reached after Latvia ultimately lifted its veto, opting for a constructive abstention. EU sanctions on Usmanov and Fridman were first imposed in 2022, as they were deemed part of Vladimir Putin's inner circle. Both billionaires sought to challenge the restrictions and enlisted Western lobbyists to push for their removal.
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Also reported by 9 other outlets
- Alisher Usmanov, Russian-Uzbek oligarch, escapes EU sanctions at France's request lemonde.fr
- Kiev slams ‘shameful’ lifting of EU sanctions on Russian oligarchs qatar-tribune.com
- EU drops sanctions for Russian oligarchs Usmanov and Fridman dw.com
- EU renews Russia sanctions, drops Russian billionaires Usmanov and Fridman jpost.com
- “Moscow is celebrating because it got what it wanted”: Sybiha on EU sanctions lifted on Usmanov, Fridman ukrinform.net
- EU Drops Sanctions for Russian Oligarchs Usmanov and Fridman en.tempo.co
- Latvia gives in to France's demands to lift EU sanctions on two Russian oligarchs, diplomats say kyivindependent.com
- EU removes two Russian billionaires from sanctions list politico.eu
- and 1 more
