The European Union is reportedly set to remove sanctions on two oligarchs, Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, which were imposed following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This reported decision has prompted anger in Ukraine.
France had campaigned for the removal of Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov, citing "national security concerns," while Luxembourg advocated for the removal of Russian-Israeli businessman Mikhail Fridman, who is suing the country for the release of frozen assets.
Ukrainian officials have called the move "unacceptable," with Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stating on X that it sent the wrong signal to Moscow. He urged all EU member states to instead announce national sanctions on the two individuals, a step Latvia has already indicated it would take.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reportedly welcomed the prospect of the oligarchs' removal, claiming the EU's sanctions were illegal. Latvia initially opposed the deal in a vote by EU ambassadors but changed its vote to an abstention on Tuesday as part of a compromise. This compromise included extending sanctions on approximately 2,600 other individuals and entities for three years, a change from the previous six-month renewal period.