EU demands answers as France pushes for billionaire’s Russia sanctions release
BRUSSELS — France has a week to reassure fellow EU countries that its push to remove a controversial Russian-Uzbek billionaire from the bloc’s sanctions list won’t start a free-for-all that fractures restrictions on Moscow.
Ambassadors failed to agree on Monday on whether to remove mining and metals tycoon Alisher Usmanov from the blacklist during a closed-door meeting, known as Coreper. Five diplomats and officials involved in the discussions told POLITICO it’s now up to Paris, which blindsided colleagues in backing the delisting of Usmanov, to explain how doing so wouldn’t set a dangerous precedent. The envoys will reconvene Sept. 22.
“If France goes ahead with this, others will come forward with their own oligarchs that should be delisted … [then] the house of cards starts to fall,” said a senior EU official who, like others, was granted anonymity to speak frankly. “We have a week for them to come up with safe-guardings and negotiate, saying ‘if we do this, what’s the timeline, how do we stop it applying to everyone.’ But I don’t see how that’s possible.”
Foreign ministers are huddling with Paris on the issue Tuesday and Wednesday, said two EU diplomats, who expressed skepticism about the move at a time when Moscow is stepping up strikes on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and threatening neighboring countries. “Talks are ongoing to find a solution. Russia has given us no reason to allow any delistings,” one said.
Paris initially cast its advocacy for Usmanov, who has been sanctioned by the EU, the U.S., the U.K. and Kyiv since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as a concession to Slovakia — which had long advocated his removal from the list.
However, French officials and diplomats have since been given lines by the Élysée, acknowledging that Paris has “a specific national security issue and wish[es] to respond positively to international partners who have approached us regarding Mr. Usmanov.” That could include the release of French nationals jailed by Azerbaijan, a close ally of Uzbekistan, as reported by the FT.
“We don’t want to send the message that if you are a Russian oligarch wanting to get off the sanction list, [you should] hold some Europeans hostage,” Dutch MEP lawmaker Thijs Reuten said.
Member states lobbying for vested interests in sanctions talks is nothing new, said another diplomat. “But the fact it’s France, which aspires to be a leader in the EU on the foreign affairs side, means they [are held to] a different standard.”
Ambassadors received no intel on a behind-the-scenes deal during Monday’s meeting. “Maybe there is a legitimate case to be made, but Coreper doesn’t know why the French are doing this,” they said.
Paris, however, insists it has been transparent with other EU countries about its plans. “Ambassadors were told that there are national security reasons. Coreper is not the right place to discuss those in detail,” said a senior French diplomat who was granted anonymity to speak frankly about the sensitive discussions. “Member states were told a week ago that if they needed more precision, they could get it through the appropriate channels.”
Brussels imposed financial and travel restrictions on Usmanov in 2022 as part of sanctions on those “undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine,” citing his alleged material support for Russia’s war. Usmanov rejects those charges along with his depiction as an oligarch, and has campaigned to be removed from the list.
