EU ambassadors fail to agree on Russia sanctions, talks resume Tuesday

September 22, 2026 at 08:09 AM1 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Key Facts

EU ambassadors will resume discussions on Tuesday on removing Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from the sanctions list.
The proposal includes extending sanctions on nearly 3,000 Russian individuals and entities for 36 months.
France joined Slovakia in early September in demanding Usmanov's removal from the sanctions list.
France cited national security considerations for its position, according to Reuters.

Sanctions Negotiations

EU ambassadors in Brussels failed to reach a final agreement on September 21 on a proposal to remove Russian businessmen Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from the sanctions list. A European diplomat said the discussion will resume on Tuesday. The proposal also includes extending restrictions on thousands of other Russian individuals and entities for three years, significantly longer than the usual six or 12 months. Reuters reported that the proposed option must be approved by EU governments, and at least one country was not ready to support it.

Usmanov Case

The situation around Usmanov became more complicated after France joined Slovakia's position. In early September, Bratislava again demanded the removal of the Russian businessman from the sanctions list. Paris later took a similar position, which came as a surprise to several other EU states. According to Reuters, France explained its position by national security considerations. European diplomats also linked the French position to the situation of French citizens detained in Azerbaijan.