Estonia imposes its own sanctions on two Russian oligarchs removed from EU sanctions list
Estonia is imposing national sanctions on two Russian oligarchs — Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman — who were removed from the European Union's sanctions list this week.
The European Union faced growing criticism on Wednesday for lifting sanctions on two Russian billionaires, Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, according to Reuters. France privately informed its partners that Azerbaijan was using Usmanov's case to pressure Paris over detained French citizens, while Azerbaijan's president pardoned a jailed French national a day later.
France's move prompted Luxembourg to demand similar treatment for Fridman, who filed a $16 billion claim against Luxembourg for asset freezes. Bill Browder, a British financier opposing Putin, warned that every sanctioned Russian oligarch might now seek leverage from "tinpot dictatorships" to have sanctions lifted. France justified the move as crucial for national security, linking it to the renewal of sanctions against about 3,000 others for three years.
Baltic states criticized the decision, with Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna expressing concern about signaling Russia's pressure on Ukraine.
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- EU faces backlash after lifting sanctions on Russian billionaires ghanaiantimes.com.gh
