EU extends Ukraine-related sanctions 36 months but drops Usmanov and Fridman from list

Why it matters

The decision marks the first multi-year renewal of the EU's Ukraine-related individual sanctions regime, locking in coverage for some 3,000 listed persons until 2029. Yet the simultaneous removal of two of the most prominent Russian oligarchs on the list, driven by the national interests of France, Slovakia and Luxembourg rather than by the war in Ukraine, has reopened a diplomatic rift with Kyiv and exposed the fragility of EU unanimity on Russia policy. Allied governments and the UK Prime Minister publicly distanced themselves from the move, several member states moved to plug the gap with national sanctions, and the episode has intensified calls inside the EU to move from unanimity to qualified-majority voting on sanctions.

What happened

On 22 September, the EU Council extended restrictive measures against persons responsible for undermining or threatening Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence for 36 months, until 22 September 2029 — the first time the regime, normally renewed every six months, has been extended for three years. In the same decision, the Council excluded Russian businessmen Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from the sanctions list; both can now freely enter EU territory and use their personal assets.

The removal was pushed by France and Slovakia in the case of Usmanov, with the French ambassador citing 'national security'; reporting links this to an effort to free French citizens detained in Azerbaijan. One day after the decision, Azerbaijan pardoned and released French national Martin Ryan, who had been sentenced on espionage charges. Luxembourg then demanded Fridman's exclusion in the country's higher interests; Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden said the move does not change support for Ukraine.

Latvia initially blocked the package but lifted its veto once a compromise was brokered with Ireland's mediation. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania announced they would impose national sanctions on both men; Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna signed the Estonian order on 23 September from New York, where he was attending the UN General Assembly. Ukraine condemned the EU decision as unjustified; Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha called it shameful, and presidential sanctions commissioner Vladyslav Vlasiuk proposed adding Vladimir Lisin (NLMK) and Vladimir Potanin (Nornickel) to the next EU package. The UK Prime Minister told President Zelensky at the UN General Assembly that he disagreed with the EU decision and that the UK would keep its own sanctions in place.

How Ukrainian sources describe it

Ukrainian sources uniformly frame the EU decision as 'shameful' and 'unjustified', quoting Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha and sanctions commissioner Vladyslav Vlasiuk in official condemnation. Coverage centres on Ukraine's counter-proposal to list Lisin and Potanin as replacements and stresses that the move was not coordinated with Kyiv. Ukrainian outlets highlight allied support against the EU decision, prominently featuring the UK Prime Minister's reassurance that Britain will keep its own sanctions and that the Baltic states — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — are imposing national restrictions on the two oligarchs.

How international sources describe it

European and international reporting frames the episode as a striking failure of EU unity, with diplomats in Brussels describing the delisting as 'the worst moment' for the EU and warning that it sets a dangerous precedent by letting oligarchs leverage national interests to escape sanctions. Coverage emphasises the role of national vetoes — France and Slovakia for Usmanov, Luxembourg for Fridman — and the simultaneous release of a detained French citizen in Azerbaijan as evidence of the motives at work. Several outlets also note the rare public split with the UK, whose Prime Minister distanced London from the Brussels decision at the UN General Assembly.

Where reporting differs

Sources differ on Martin Ryan's prison sentence in Azerbaijan: most report 10 years, while one source reports 12 years. Reporting on Fridman's claim against Luxembourg also diverges — most outlets cite approximately €15 billion in international arbitration, while one cites at least $16 billion in court. Sources are inconsistent on the identity of the UK Prime Minister who raised the issue with Zelensky at the UN General Assembly: one source names 'Andy Burnham', while others identify him as Keir Starmer.

Background

The EU sanctions regime against persons undermining Ukraine's territorial integrity has been renewed every six months since 2014; the 22 September extension to 36 months (until 22 September 2029) is the first such multi-year renewal. The regime covers roughly 3,000 listed persons, and an October round is planned to add more than 1,600 names — the largest single expansion on record. Usmanov is internationally known for his former investment in London's Arsenal football club, which he exited in 2018; Fridman moved to London in 2013 and left after sanctions were imposed. NLMK, controlled by Lisin, operates metal-processing plants in Belgium's Wallonia region, with additional facilities in France, Italy and Denmark; Europe's reliance on Russian nickel and palladium, particularly for the automotive industry, has so far shielded Potanin's Nornickel from listing. Fridman is pursuing arbitration against Luxembourg over frozen assets, with reporting differing on whether the claim is around €15 billion or at least $16 billion.