France Seeks to Persuade the EU to Lift Sanctions on Alisher Usmanov

France has a week to reassure other EU countries that its efforts to remove a controversial Russian-Uzbek billionaire from the bloc’s sanctions list will not start an open process that would break the restrictions on Moscow.

Ambassadors failed to agree on Monday on whether to remove mining and metals magnate Alisher Usmanov from the blacklist during a behind-closed-doors meeting, known as Coreper. Five diplomats and officials involved in the discussions said it is now up to Paris, which surprised colleagues by backing Usmanov’s removal from the list, to explain how this would not create a dangerous precedent. The envoys will meet again on September 22.

“If France goes ahead with this, others will step forward with their oligarchs who need to be removed from the list… then the house of cards starts to collapse,” said a senior EU official, who, like the others, was granted anonymity to speak candidly. “We have a week for them to come up with safeguards and negotiate, saying ‘if we do this, what is the timeline, how can we stop it applying to everyone.’ But I don’t see how that’s possible.”

Foreign ministers are meeting with Paris on this issue on Tuesday and Wednesday, two EU diplomats said, expressing skepticism about this move at a time when Moscow is stepping up attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and threatening neighboring countries. “Talks are ongoing to find a solution. Russia has not given us any reason to allow any delisting,” one said.

Paris initially framed its support for Usmanov, who has been sanctioned by the EU, the US, the UK and Kyiv since Russia’s full invasion of Ukraine, as a concession to Slovakia — which had long backed his removal from the list.

However, French officials and diplomats were given an answer from the Élysée Palace, acknowledging that Paris has “a specific issue of national security and wants to respond positively to international partners who have approached us regarding Mr. Usmanov.” This could include the release of French citizens imprisoned by Azerbaijan, a close ally of Uzbekistan, as reported by the FT.

“We don’t want to convey the message that if you are a Russian oligarch who wants to get off the sanctions list, [you must] hold a few Europeans hostage,” said Dutch MEP Thijs Reuten.

Member-state lobbying for hidden interests in sanctions talks is nothing new, said another diplomat. “But the fact that it is France, which aspires to be a leader in the EU in foreign affairs, means they [are held] to a different standard.”

Ambassadors received no information on a behind-the-scenes deal during Monday’s meeting. “There may be a legitimate argument to be made, but Coreper doesn’t know why the French are doing this,” they said.

However, Paris insists it has been transparent with other EU countries about its plans. “Ambassadors were told there are national security reasons. Coreper is not the right place to discuss them in detail,” said a senior French diplomat, granted anonymity to speak candidly about the delicate discussions. “Member states were told a week ago that if they needed more precision, they could get it through the proper channels.”