Latvia opposes EU plan to lift sanctions on Russian oligarchs

Latvia has opposed a proposal to lift European Union sanctions on Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, Foreign Minister Baiba Braze said.

“EU sanctions against Russia must be strengthened, not weakened,” Braze wrote on X, adding that Latvia could not support the proposal.

The EU’s 27 member states are considering removing travel bans and asset freezes on the two oligarchs amid concerns that some countries could otherwise block the renewal of sanctions against about 3,000 other individuals, entities and companies.

The sanctions on Usmanov and Fridman were imposed days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

EU sanctions linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine must be renewed periodically, with decisions requiring the unanimous support of member states.

EU ambassadors resumed discussions on the morning of September 22 after failing to reach unanimity on the evening of September 21. France and Slovakia supported easing sanctions on Usmanov, while Luxembourg argued that sanctions on Fridman should also be lifted.

In return, diplomats proposed extending the wider sanctions regime for 36 months rather than six months.

Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs said a 36-month extension would be the right step, but not at the cost of removing Usmanov and Fridman from the sanctions list.