Sanctions — 2026-09-23

EU Renews Russia Sanctions for Three Years but Removes Usmanov and Fridman After French and Slovak Pressure

BLUFBy trading bilateral favors for oligarch delistings while locking in a three-year renewal cycle, EU members simultaneously weakened the sanctions regime's credibility and stripped spoiler states of their primary leverage tool.

EU ambassadors agreed on Tuesday to remove Russian-Uzbek oligarch Alisher Usmanov and Russian-Israeli oligarch Mikhail Fridman from the bloc's Russia sanctions list, lifting asset freezes and travel bans on both men 123. Euronews reported France linked Usmanov's delisting to a prisoner-release arrangement with Azerbaijan involving two French nationals, while Luxembourg pressed for Fridman's removal after he filed a $16 billion claim against the country over frozen assets 13. Latvia dropped its objection and abstained, providing the unanimity needed to pass the deal after Slovakia had earlier leveraged its veto and held up talks for roughly two weeks 124. In exchange, the EU extended sanctions on the roughly 3,000 remaining listed individuals and entities, including President Vladimir Putin, for 36 months rather than the usual six; an Irish EU presidency spokesperson said the change was meant to enhance the "durability and predictability" of the sanctions framework 123. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga called the delistings "shameful" and urged EU member states to impose their own national sanctions on Usmanov and Fridman 3.

Analysis
The delisting shows a member state can trade a bilateral favor, France's Azerbaijan prisoner arrangement, Luxembourg's litigation exposure over Fridman's $16 billion claim, for removal from the EU's Russia sanctions list, undercutting Brussels's claim that listings rest solely on Kremlin ties. Slovakia's earlier veto may have been the structural precondition forcing the wider compromise, with France simply the last mover to cash in leverage others had already created. The shift from six-month to three-year renewals strips Slovakia and Hungary of the twice-yearly window they've used to extract concessions, insulating the remaining roughly 3,000 listings from near-term veto leverage through 2029. Sourcing rests on convergent but unofficial diplomat accounts rather than a Council statement. Kyiv's condemnation now tests whether individual capitals impose national sanctions on Usmanov and Fridman to offset the EU-level exemption.

4 sources

EU renews Russia sanctions but removes Usmanov at France request - Euronews
EU Reportedly Set To Remove Sanctions On Russian Oligarchs Usmanov and Fridman - RFE/RL
EU to lift sanctions on Russian oligarchs Usmanov, Fridman - France 24
EU Removes Billionaires Usmanov and Fridman From Sanctions List - The Moscow Times