Latvia rejects EU proposal to lift sanctions on Usmanov and Fridman
Latvia said it could not support lifting EU sanctions on Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman in exchange for renewing measures against thousands of others.
Riga, Latvia. Latvia has rejected a proposed European Union agreement that would remove sanctions on Russia-linked billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman while renewing restrictions on about 3,000 other individuals and entities for three years.
The EU’s asset freezes and travel bans, imposed over Russia’s war in Ukraine, are due to expire at midnight on Tuesday unless all 27 member states unanimously agree to renew them.
Latvia’s position
“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,” Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs said in a post on X late on Monday.
Kulbergs said he would convene an emergency cabinet meeting on Tuesday to discuss the issue. He added that Latvia would work with Brussels and Paris “to find a solution suitable for Latvia’s interests”.
Proposal and diplomatic pressure
Under the proposal, restrictions on Usmanov and Fridman would be lifted, while sanctions on roughly 3,000 other Russia-linked people and businesses would be extended for 36 months.
France this month joined Slovakia in seeking the removal of sanctions against Usmanov, a Russian-Uzbek businessman, prompting surprise and anger among several EU partners and Ukraine. Luxembourg subsequently sought the same treatment for Fridman, a Russian, according to diplomats.
France acted after what it described as pressure from Azerbaijan, which has detained at least two French nationals, three European diplomats told Reuters last week. A senior Azerbaijani diplomat rejected those assertions on Friday.
Legal challenges
Usmanov and Fridman have both disputed the cases against them and launched legal action seeking the removal of sanctions.
Fridman is seeking $16 billion from Luxembourg in an arbitration case. EU diplomats said Luxembourg argued that its ability to maintain sanctions against Fridman could be weakened if sanctions on Usmanov were lifted.
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