Two top Russian oligarchs kept on sanctions list, journalist reveals
Photo: Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov (Getty Images)
The EU has so far decided not to remove two Russian oligarchs, Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, from the sanctions list. Another meeting is scheduled to be held this evening, according to a post on X by prominent European journalist Rikard Jozwiak.
"No deal to delist Usmanov & Fridman tonight with 36 months extension of other sanctions as compensation," Jozwiak wrote.
The written procedure has not been completed. European ambassadors are to meet again tomorrow.
"Procedure extended! from 20.00 till 22.00 but can go even longer. clear that this compromise isn't universally popular," the journalist added.
EU sanctions against Russia
A week ago, EU countries at a meeting in Brussels failed to agree on extending sanctions against Russia. Two Russian oligarchs, Usmanov and Fridman, prevented unanimity.
Slovakia, which has a pro-Russian government, demanded the removal of the two Russian oligarchs from the list.
In response, France proposed a compromise that envisaged lifting sanctions only from Usmanov.
Most European capitals were categorically against any exceptions. They emphasized that lifting restrictions is unacceptable against the backdrop of record Russian missile strikes on civilian facilities in Ukraine and the increase in hybrid threats near NATO borders.
Earlier, Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Budanov called on the EU not to weaken the sanctions regime so that Russian oligarchs could not continue to finance the Russian war machine.
And Head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha reported that lifting restrictions on Russian oligarchs would be a "wrong signal" to Moscow. More about this in the RBC-Ukraine article.
