France and Slovakia Threaten to Scuttle 3,000 EU Sanctions Against Two Russian Oligarchs

BRUSSELS — At stake are 3,000 European Union sanctions related to Russia’s war in Ukraine. If member states do not vote unanimously to renew them for another 12 months, all the sanctions will expire. The technical vote is being held hostage by France and Slovakia, which demand the delisting of oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman.

Slovakia has long sought the removal of the two names from the list, but France’s support came as a surprise to some diplomats. Paris joined the request, it is said, at the behest of Azerbaijan — which, according to France, is holding two French citizens as political prisoners. “Two countries are insisting on delisting for national security reasons and are ready to block renewals,” a national diplomat told the Kyiv Independent.

The deadlock triggered tense discussions: ambassadors were isolated without cell phones and the decision was postponed for a week, ahead of the September 22 deadline. Several EU diplomats anonymously confirmed that some countries are beginning to cave in to the Franco-Slovak demand.

The spokesperson of the European Council Presidency said ambassadors would reconvene in the afternoon “with the aim of finalizing the agreement” — but that does not mean consensus has been reached. “We are not there yet… it is, of course, very difficult,” one diplomat said, while a second added: “We will ask for things in return if it goes in that direction.” The new ambassadors’ meeting is expected at 2:00 p.m. Brussels time.

Ukraine’s sanctions envoy, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, expressed disappointment: “How can delisting be seriously discussed while Russia’s war continues?” — “Removal without a fundamental change in behavior sends the wrong signal: pressure is temporary, accountability is negotiable, and sanctions can simply be waited out.”

Fridman is a co-founder of the Russian conglomerate Alfa-Group, a subsidiary of which supplied vehicles used by Russian forces in Ukraine and reportedly served the Main Directorate of Special Programs that guards Vladimir Putin. Usmanov made his fortune in metals and mining; in the EU’s original 2022 sanctions decision he was called “one of Putin’s favorite oligarchs.” The deadline could theoretically be extended again, but diplomats are not sure whether an additional week would change positions.

Source: The Kyiv Independent