The European Union is set to delist two Russian oligarchs—Alisher Usmanov of Uzbekistan and Mikhail Fridman, a Russian‑Israeli financier—following pressure from France and Luxembourg. The sanctions were imposed after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine condemned the decision as "unacceptable" and warned that it could embolden Moscow. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said the move sent the wrong signal and urged EU members to impose national sanctions on the two men, a stance Latvia already adopted.
Latvia had initially opposed the UK‑style removal, but after a compromise—extending existing sanctions on 2,600 others for three years—the country voted to support the new EU policy. The change was part of a broader European dialogue that included talks about a French nuclear deterrence initiative in Latvia.
The two oligarchs had been listed as "pro‑Kremlin" figures with close ties to President Vladimir Putin. Usmanov, whose holdings span metals and telecommunications, called the decision "unfair," while Fridman, who has avoided outright condemnation of the war, had previously urged a swift end to the conflict.
The Kremlin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov welcomed talks of their removal, labeling EU sanctions as illegal and calling for the expulsion of all Russian citizens from the Union. The tensions underscore the EU’s struggle to balance collective security interests with broader diplomatic considerations.
