Slovakia and France interceded for The EU for the Russian businessman

France supported Slovakia in demanding that Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov be removed from the EU sanctions list. This is reported by the European media.

It is reported that Slovakia has been trying for a long time to ensure that Usmanov and another Russian businessman, Mikhail Fridman, are excluded from the EU sanctions list. Now Bratislava has joined and Paris. According to media reports, this step by France caused "the strongest irritation" among other member states.

" This has raised a lot of questions about motives — it seems that economic considerations play a role here first of all. There is little understanding of this position among other member states", one of the European diplomats said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations.

It is noted that the extension of sanctions The EU requires unanimous approval, which gives any country the opportunity to veto an extension decision. Slovakia's opposition has already caused discontent among member states, but France's new position is likely to further complicate negotiations. Paris presented the exclusion of Usmanov as a political compromise, hoping that Slovakia would not abandon its two exclusion demands this time, as it happened last time.

Ambassadors The EU will meet again on Monday to discuss the extension of sanctions, and will be forced to seek a political agreement before the September 15 deadline. A representative of the Permanent Mission of France to the EU said that Paris supports the extension of sanctions, but declined to comment on the discussions, citing their confidentiality.

Recall the sanctions regime The EU now covers more than 3,000 individuals and legal entities in Russia. Its validity should be extended on September 15. Until now, individual lists have been extended every six months, but now an extension for a period of 12 months is being discussed. Sectoral sanctions have already been transferred in July from a semi-annual to an annual extension cycle.