EU faces backlash after lifting sanctions on Russian billionaires

Key Points:

• The European Union lifted sanctions on two Russian billionaires, Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, following pressure from France, despite objections from Ukraine and other EU members who viewed the move as undermining support for Ukraine's war effort.
• France linked the lifting of sanctions on Usmanov to national security concerns and pressure from Azerbaijan over detained French citizens, leading to Azerbaijan pardoning a jailed French national, which Paris described as a humanitarian gesture.
• The decision sparked significant backlash within the EU, particularly from Baltic states like Latvia and Estonia, who criticized the move as sending a negative signal amid ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine.
• Ukraine expressed shock and disappointment at the EU's decision, questioning whether removing such high-profile names from the sanctions list was justified despite the broader renewal of sanctions on thousands of others.
• EU officials emphasized that the sanctions renewal included about 3,000 people and organizations for three years and that further sanctions targeting Russia’s military-industrial complex and oil shipments were in progress, though some diplomats warned the move could damage the EU’s credibility.