EU Removes Russian Oligarchs from Sanctions List Amid Controversy

The EU has removed two Russian billionaires, Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, from its sanctions list, according to The Guardian World. This decision, described by Ireland’s EU presidency as a 'difficult compromise,' comes as the bloc extended sanctions on nearly 3,000 individuals and companies linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine for another three years. The move required unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states, with only a few countries reportedly supporting the delisting of the two oligarchs.

Ukraine has expressed strong opposition to the decision, with the BBC World noting that Kyiv views the move as sending the wrong signal to Moscow, given Usmanov and Fridman’s close ties to President Vladimir Putin. Deutsche Welle reported that France and Luxembourg were behind the exemptions, a move Kyiv labeled 'shameful and unjustifiable.'

France24 English confirmed the EU’s decision to lift sanctions against Usmanov and Fridman, highlighting the complex negotiations required to reach an agreement. The extension of sanctions on other individuals and entities indicates the EU’s continued stance against Russia’s actions in Ukraine, despite the controversial delisting of the two oligarchs.