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 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.
