OddsFrontFrance joins Slovakia in seeking Alisher Usmanov's removal from EU sanctions
The request introduces a new obstacle before the European Union's September sanctions-renewal deadline, when unanimity among member states is required.
A second government backs delisting
France has joined Slovakia in asking the European Union to remove Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov from its sanctions list, according to Euronews reporting based on four EU diplomats. Slovakia is also seeking the removal of businessman Mikhail Fridman. The requests matter because they emerged shortly before the September 15 deadline for renewing the bloc's individual sanctions connected to Russia's war against Ukraine.
The development does not itself remove either man from the list. Changes and renewals are negotiated by the member states, and the relevant decision requires unanimity. France told Euronews that it supports renewing sanctions while declining to discuss confidential negotiations. That leaves a distinction between Paris's position on maintaining the wider regime and its reported request concerning one listed individual.
Why the timing matters
Usmanov has been subject to EU restrictions since 2022. The bloc's individual measures include asset freezes and travel restrictions, while successive packages have expanded sectoral controls and enforcement tools. A request from France carries more weight than an objection from a smaller member state acting alone, because it can change the bargaining around the renewal even if Paris continues to support the overall sanctions architecture.
European Commission material from July describes the twenty-first sanctions package as another effort to reduce Russia's ability to finance and sustain the war. That official background confirms the purpose and continuing expansion of the regime, but it does not confirm the confidential French-Slovak request. The new delisting claim rests on Euronews's account of diplomatic discussions and should remain attributed accordingly.
Decision point moves to ambassadors
EU ambassadors are expected to return to the issue before the deadline. They could preserve the list unchanged, agree to one or more removals, or seek a compromise that prevents the entire renewal from becoming entangled in individual cases. The immediate signal to watch is whether France publicly clarifies its reasoning or whether Slovakia ties its support for renewal to the requested delistings. Failure to reach unanimity would create a broader policy problem extending well beyond Usmanov and Fridman.