The European Union is deadlocked over a disputed deal to remove two Russian billionaires from its sanctions list in return for keeping wider restrictions in place, as measures on nearly 3,000 entities face expiry in Brussels.
Key facts
- The EU is deadlocked over removing Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from its sanctions list.
- Without agreement, sanctions on nearly 3,000 entities will lapse at the end of the day in Brussels.
- The disputed deal ties the removal of the two individuals to keeping broader restrictions in place.
- Latvia has rejected the offer as presented, according to the Guardian.
- A proposal to extend sanctions for 36 months is under discussion.
The European Union is at an impasse over a plan to remove two Russian billionaires, Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, from its sanctions list, according to the Guardian. The proposed move is part of a bitterly disputed deal intended to keep broader restrictions in place on nearly 3,000 people and companies accused of enabling Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine.
The stakes are heightened by a looming deadline. Without an agreement, sanctions on nearly 3,000 entities accused of supporting the war on Ukraine will lapse at the end of the day in Brussels, the Guardian reported.
At the heart of the deadlock is the trade-off between extending the wider sanctions regime and delisting the two individuals. One position quoted in the Guardian’s coverage framed a 36-month extension as the right step but objected to the terms attached to it.
“Extending sanctions for 36 months would be the right step. However, the price for it must not be simply striking both individuals from the sanctions list. Latvia cannot accept SUCH an offer,” the quoted statement said, signalling Latvia’s opposition to the deal as offered.
The disagreement underscores the difficulty of maintaining unity within the bloc, where sanctions decisions require agreement among member states. The dispute comes ahead of key talks touching on Ukraine and Greenland, according to the Guardian’s live coverage.
Why it matters
The EU's sanctions regime is a central plank of the bloc's response to Russia's war on Ukraine, and a failure to agree could allow restrictions on thousands of entities to lapse. The standoff highlights the challenge of preserving unity among member states when individual governments object to the terms of a deal.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if the EU does not reach an agreement?
According to the Guardian, without an agreement sanctions on nearly 3,000 entities accused of supporting the war on Ukraine will lapse at the end of the day in Brussels.
Who are the two individuals at the centre of the dispute?
The disputed deal involves removing two Russian billionaires, Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, from the EU's sanctions list.
Why has Latvia objected?
Latvia said that while extending sanctions for 36 months would be the right step, the price for it must not be simply striking both individuals from the sanctions list, and it cannot accept such an offer, according to the Guardian.