France reveals to Ukraine why it removed sanctions from Usmanov
Russian tycoon Alisher Usmanov (photo: Getty Images)
France has backed lifting EU sanctions on Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov in exchange for extending the remaining individual restrictions for another three years, according to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, cited by France 2.
He said the EU previously had to extend individual sanctions every six months.
The French diplomat explained that Paris had proposed changing this mechanism and setting a three-year term for the restrictions.
Minister Barrot also noted that the EU sanctions list includes about 3,000 individuals and entities.
He noted that France had always supported the sanctions policy and that he had previously proposed adding hundreds of people to the list.
"One person was removed from a list of 3,000, even though I proposed hundreds of additions (to the sanctions list – ed.), and now I'm being asked specifically about this," the French foreign minister said.
Barrot also told reporters that all these explanations had already been provided to Ukraine, which, as is known, opposed such a concession and had also publicly criticized the European Union over its decisions concerning Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman.
As previously reported, the European Union officially lifted sanctions against Russian oligarchs Usmanov and Fridman on September 22.
As also reported, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reacted to the move.
In addition, it became known that Kyiv would propose a new approach to the EU following the lifting of sanctions against the Russian oligarchs mentioned above.
