EU countries have extended the sanctions list against Russia by only one week after France insisted on removing Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, citing national security concerns. The move has fueled speculation about a potential secret deal between Paris and Baku or Moscow.
The current EU sanctions list, which includes approximately 3,000 individuals and entities, requires the consent of all 27 member states for renewal every six months. The measures were set to expire at midnight on Tuesday, September 15, after Slovakia and then France signaled their desire to remove Alisher Usmanov from the list, while the other 25 countries disagreed.
EU ambassadors extend sanctions for only one week
On Monday, EU ambassadors in Brussels decided to extend the sanctions list, including Alisher Usmanov, for only one week—until the next meeting on September 22. This is an unprecedented step since the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine in 2022.
“This means that we have agreed to disagree — for one week,” one EU diplomat said.
A French diplomatic source also stated that France has a specific national security issue and wants to provide a positive response to international partners who have approached them regarding Alisher Usmanov.
The EU imposed visa restrictions and asset freezes on Alisher Usmanov in 2022 due to his “particularly close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.” Alisher Usmanov is a native of Uzbekistan and a metals magnate. Similar sanctions were imposed on him by the United Kingdom in 2022 and the United States in 2023.
Possible link to Azerbaijan and Turkey
France’s mention of international partners may refer to Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan, which had already lobbied for Alisher Usmanov’s removal from the list in March.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a letter circulated among EU governments, called Alisher Usmanov a “philanthropist” who “contributes to the opening of Central Asian countries to the West, and also makes a significant contribution to strengthening human ties in the Turkic world.”
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan has imprisoned French businessman Martin Ryan on espionage charges, and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs is seeking his return. If such an agreement were to take place, it could effectively mean a prisoner swap within the framework of EU sanctions negotiations.
Source: EUobserver
