Latvia did not support the EUʼs decision to remove oligarchs Usmanov and Fridman from the sanctions list

Latvia did not support the European Unionʼs decision to extend sanctions against Russia because it could remove Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Mykhailo Fridman from the list.

This was reported by Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs on the social network X.

According to Kulbergs, if EU member states fail to reach an agreement by the end of the term, the maintenance of sanctions for the entire list will be at risk. He added that extending the sanctions for another 36 months would be the right move, but not at the cost of removing Russian oligarchs from the list.

On September 22, the Prime Minister of Latvia and the countryʼs Foreign Minister Baiba Braže will "work with Brussels and Paris to find a solution that meets Latviaʼs interests".

On September 21, the EU failed to agree on the extension of personal sanctions against Russia.

Reuters sources said the day before that the EU may lift sanctions against Russian businessmen Alisher Usmanov and Mykhailo Fridman. After all, one of the reasons for the disagreement of some countries regarding the extension of sanctions is the presence of Usmanov on the list. At the same time, Croatia and Italy supported the decision in order to reach a compromise.

Meanwhile, Fridman is seeking $16 billion from Luxembourg for the freezing of his assets after the sanctions were imposed. The case is being heard by an international arbitration court in Hong Kong.

According to Reuters sources, Luxembourg feared that its position in the case would be weakened if Usmanov were removed from the sanctions list separately.

• The EU imposed sanctions on Usmanov and Fridman in 2022 after Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The restrictions include a ban on entry to the EU and a freeze on assets in the bloc.

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