EU negotiates removing Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov from sanctions list. Time is running out
Ambassadors of EU countries are nearing an agreement that should unblock negotiations on the exclusion of Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov from the sanctions list. According to information from Euronews, this issue is being considered as part of a possible agreement that could lead to the release and pardon of two French citizens imprisoned in Azerbaijan.
Alisher Usmanov
Ireland, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council for six months, has proposed a compromise option. It envisages the exclusion of Usmanov and another Russian businessman Mikhail Fridman from the sanctions list in exchange for an unprecedented extension of the sanctions regime for 36 months immediately. This should allow similar crises to be avoided in the future.
EU ambassadors met on Monday morning but failed to reach an agreement. They are expected to reconvene later amid increasing pressure to find a compromise. One diplomat stated that the outlines of a possible deal are already visible.
France's firm stance has put negotiations in a critical position. Sanctions against more than 2,600 individuals and entities accused of supporting Russia's war against Ukraine expire at midnight on Tuesday, unless a decision to extend them is made by then. A unanimous agreement of all EU countries is required to extend the sanctions every six months.
After several days of consultations, diplomats are preparing for a scenario in which Usmanov will be excluded from the list, although for many states this is politically very unacceptable. According to one diplomat, many options are currently being discussed.
For two years, Uzbekistan, along with other Turkic countries, has been seeking Usmanov's exclusion from the sanctions list by appealing to EU institutions and individual member states. The businessman's lawyers are also actively advocating for this.
According to Euronews, the authorities of Uzbekistan and France have reportedly reached a backroom deal: Usmanov will be removed from the sanctions list in exchange for Azerbaijan releasing two French citizens. This has caused outrage in several EU countries, which fear the creation of a dangerous precedent. As part of the possible agreement, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is expected to sign a pardon decree.
The European Union added Usmanov to its sanctions list in the first days of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The reason cited was his "close ties" with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as interests in "key sectors" of the Russian economy that generate significant revenue for the state. The 73-year-old businessman denies these accusations.
France does not officially confirm the possible exchange. French officials decline to comment on the situation, citing national security concerns and refusing to disclose details.
Since September 2024, Paris has been warning its citizens about travel to Azerbaijan due to the risk of arrest, arbitrary detention, and unfair trials. The warning from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which remains in force, states that in the event of arrest or detention, the observance of fundamental rights is not guaranteed.
As negotiations in Brussels drag on, Ukraine has called on allies to keep both Usmanov and Fridman on the sanctions list. Vladyslav Vlasiuk, advisor to the President of Ukraine on sanctions, stated that discussing the lifting of sanctions while Russia's war continues raises serious questions.
According to him, lifting sanctions without a fundamental change in behavior sends the wrong signal: pressure is temporary, accountability can be debated, and sanctions are simply something to be waited out.