EU Extends Deadline for Russia Sanctions

The European Union’s blacklist of nearly 3,000 individuals and entities, which must be renewed every six months, was due to expire on Wednesday.

But ambassadors from the 27 EU member states pushed the deadline back by a week after late French efforts to remove 73-year-old Uzbek-Russian metals tycoon Usmanov met opposition.

Usmanov, a former major shareholder in the Arsenal football club, was placed on the EU sanctions list in 2022 for what Brussels said were his close ties to the Kremlin.

“Consultations will continue and further discussions are expected,” said a spokesperson for Ireland, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency.

“The renewal of the lists is essential to continue undermining Russia’s war machine and to keep pressure on the individuals and entities that support, enable and benefit from it,” the spokesperson said.

EU diplomats said France caught its counterparts off guard by backing a Slovak request to remove Usmanov from the list. Diplomats said France gave no clear reason other than saying it was for “national security”.

French officials confirmed they were seeking to remove Usmanov but gave no details on their motives.

The Financial Times reported that Paris was making the effort as part of a prisoner-release deal involving several French citizens held in Azerbaijan, citing people familiar with the matter.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told AFP on Monday only that “discussions are ongoing at a technical level in Brussels” and that he expects them to conclude soon.

Diplomats from many EU countries said there was widespread reluctance for the bloc to be seen as weakening its sanctions against Moscow.

EU countries had instead sought to extend the sanctions from six months to a year, as they look to exert pressure on Moscow.

EU sanctions include key figures, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his daily address: “It is absolutely not the time to lift sanctions.”

“It is absolutely not the time to rescue Russian oligarchs from sanctions. And it is absolutely not the time for Europe to give gifts to Russia,” he added.