EU Agrees to Three-Year Extension of Individual Sanctions Against Russia

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EU Ambassadors Agree to Extend Sanctions on About 3,000 Russian Individuals and Entities for Three Years

Ambassadors from European Union countries have agreed to extend the sanctions regime targeting approximately 3,000 Russian individuals and companies for another three years, according to TASS. This marks the first time the current personal sanctions regime will be extended for 36 months instead of the usual six-month period.

Reuters, citing European diplomats, reports that Russian businessmen Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman will be removed from the sanctions list as part of the compromise. Latvia, which had previously opposed this decision, ultimately did not block the agreement.

The decision will officially take effect after the completion of a written procedure in the EU. The main restrictions for the remaining individuals on the list are expected to remain in place until September 2029.

The extension of sanctions for a longer period was the result of prolonged disagreements among EU countries. Traditionally, personal sanctions were reviewed every six months, and their continuation required the consent of all EU member states.

One of the main points of contention was the possible removal of Usmanov and Fridman from the sanctions list. According to Reuters, France previously supported lifting restrictions on Usmanov, while Luxembourg advocated for the exclusion of Fridman. Their positions complicated the negotiation of the next extension of the sanctions regime.