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12h ago

EU Removes Two Oligarchs From Sanctions List to Secure Three‑Year Extension

A last‑minute political deal traded the delisting of Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman for a 36‑month renewal of sanctions on about 3,000 other people and entities, a move that raises legal and unity concerns for the bloc.

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Wenige Stunden vor Ablauf einer Frist für die Verlängerung der Sanktionen gegen Russland ringen die EU-Länder weiter um ein Ergebnis. Streitpunkt ist die Streichung zweier russischer Oligarchen von der Sanktionsliste.
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Overview

  • EU ambassadors reached a political agreement late on Tuesday to lift sanctions on Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman while extending measures against roughly 3,000 other people and organisations for 36 months.
  • The compromise came hours before a midnight deadline that would have allowed the entire package to lapse and still needs formal adoption through a written procedure to become legally binding.
  • Latvia initially blocked the deal but withdrew its veto by abstaining, which permitted the ambassadors to approve the package despite strong earlier resistance.
  • France and Slovakia pushed for Usmanow’s removal and Luxembourg conditioned its support on also delisting Fridman because Fridman is pursuing roughly €16 billion in legal claims over frozen assets in Luxembourg.
  • Ukraine condemned the delistings as unacceptable and diplomats warned the move could invite more court challenges, weaken the EU’s leverage on Russia and hand Moscow a propaganda advantage.