The European Union is about to extend sanctions against Russia, imposed for violating the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, for another 36 months. At the same time, two of the most prominent Russian billionaires may be removed from the sanctions list – Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman.
The preliminary agreement was reached on September 22 by the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU Member States in Brussels.
If finally approved, the current regime will be extended until September 22, 2029.
However, the decision is not yet final.
Unanimity remains key
EU sanctions under this regime require the support of all member states.
This is what has turned the issue of Usmanov and Fridman into a serious diplomatic dispute in recent weeks.
According to the information available to “Evropeyskaya Pravda“, the ambassadors of the EU countries have agreed to a compromise, under which the two Russian businessmen will be removed from the list, while the rest of the sanctions regime will be extended.
The decision is expected to be adopted by written procedure.
However, this option has already met resistance.
Latvia opposed
Latvia has objected to the compromise, which means that the procedure cannot be concluded automatically.
The country insists that the sanctions be extended without removing Usmanov and Fridman from the list.
This puts European diplomats in a position to negotiate again, as unanimous support is needed for a final decision.
The issue is particularly sensitive because the current personal sanctions expire at the end of September 22.
Who are Usmanov and Fridman?
Alisher Usmanov is one of the richest Russian businessmen, whose name has been associated with investments in metallurgy, telecommunications and other sectors.
Mikhail Fridman is a Ukrainian-born Russian businessman and one of the founders of the investment group “Alfa Group“.
The two fell under EU sanctions after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The sanctions include travel restrictions and asset freezes within the EU.
The sanctions have been in effect since 2014.
The European sanctions regime related to the violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine began in 2014 after the Russian annexation of Crimea and actions in Donbas.
After the start of the full-scale war in February 2022, the list has been significantly expanded.
It includes Russian state officials, high-ranking politicians, military personnel, businessmen and companies that the EU considers to be involved in actions undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Among the individuals sanctioned are Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
A diplomatic dispute behind closed doors
In recent weeks, the issue of extending the sanctions has become a kind of test of EU unity.
Even earlier, some countries insisted on changes to the list, and France and Slovakia were among the countries that supported the removal of Usmanov and Fridman.
Thus, the technical extension of the sanctions has become a complex diplomatic issue.
On September 14, the EU already extended the regime by only seven days, as no final agreement was reached.
Now Brussels is faced with the same problem again.
The decision upcoming
If any of the member states continues to block the proposal, European diplomats will have to look for a new option.
Thus, in the coming hours, Brussels must simultaneously decide two questions - whether to extend the sanctions regime against Russia for another three years and whether Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman will remain among the sanctioned Russian businessmen.
Sources: Ukrainska Pravda, Evropeiska Pravda