EU seeks compromise to extend Russia sanctions as France pushes to delist Usmanov
The Irish Presidency of the EU Council and the European External Action Service have proposed a compromise to break France's resistance to extending EU sanctions against Russia. France and Slovakia have blocked a 12-month renewal, demanding the removal of Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov from the list. EU ambassadors are set to meet on September 18 to try to resolve the deadlock, after an urgent one-week extension was forced the previous Monday.
Key points
- Ireland's EU Council Presidency and the EEAS proposed a compromise to overcome France's resistance.
- France and Slovakia blocked the 12-month extension, demanding Alisher Usmanov's removal from the sanctions list.
- France's demand is reportedly tied to a proposed deal with Azerbaijan regarding French citizens.
- The compromise would keep Usmanov listed but lift some restrictions, including asset freezes and the EU entry ban.
- EU sanctions were urgently extended for one week on Monday to prevent them from lapsing.
- Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament on September 16 that sanctions against Russia must be continued.
Why it matters
EU personal sanctions against Russia are at risk of lapsing or being weakened because of a dispute over a single individual on the list. France's demand is reportedly tied to a bilateral deal with Azerbaijan over French citizens, raising concerns that the EU sanctions regime is being used to pursue national interests. Loosening restrictions on Usmanov could create a legal precedent that other sanctioned oligarchs could exploit in court. The standoff comes as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has publicly insisted that sanctions against Russia must continue.
What happened
The Irish Presidency of the EU Council and the European External Action Service put forward a compromise proposal aimed at breaking France's resistance to extending EU sanctions against Russia. France and Slovakia blocked a 12-month renewal, insisting on the removal of Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov from the sanctions list. The proposal would keep Usmanov listed but lift some restrictions, including the freezing of assets and the EU entry ban. To prevent the sanctions from lapsing, EU member states forced through an urgent one-week extension the previous Monday. EU ambassadors from the 27 member states were due to meet on September 18 to try to break the deadlock.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian outlets frame the dispute as an obstacle to maintaining pressure on Russia, highlighting the risk that national political interests, in particular France's Azerbaijan-linked demand, could weaken the sanctions regime. Ukrainian coverage foregrounds European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's September 16 European Parliament statement that sanctions against Russia must be continued, emphasizing the EU's own leadership reaffirming the policy.
Where reporting differs
Sources differ on when EU ambassadors will next meet to try to break the deadlock: one report says September 18, another says Friday.
Background
Alisher Usmanov has been under EU sanctions since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and is described as having long-standing business interests in Russia and ties to Vladimir Putin. The previous extension of EU personal sanctions took place on March 14, during which Slovakia pushed until the last moment to remove Mikhail Fridman and Alisher Usmanov from the list. On September 11, EU ambassadors failed to agree on a 12-month extension due to demands from Slovakia and France, and the situation forced an urgent one-week extension the following Monday.