EU Sanctions on Russia Blocked Again by Slovakia and France Over Oligarch Exemptions

EU ambassadors were unable to reach agreement on extending personal sanctions against Russia for its aggression against Ukraine when they met on Friday, Radio Free Europe editor Rikard Jozwiak reported. The standoff leaves the bloc's sanctions regime at risk ahead of a September 15 renewal deadline.

Slovakia and France Block Agreement

According to Jozwiak, Slovakia is insisting on the removal of Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from the EU sanctions list as a precondition for agreement. France has added complexity to the negotiations by also demanding the removal of Usmanov. The impasse means ambassadors will meet again on Monday — the last working day before the deadline.

"Slovakia still wants exemptions for Usmanov and Fridman. But the issue is now even more complicated because France also wants to remove Usmanov," Jozwiak wrote on social media platform X.

Repeated Blockage

This is not the first time Slovakia has held up renewal of EU sanctions on Russia. During the previous sanctions renewal in March, Bratislava similarly fought until the last moment to have Russian oligarchs struck from the list, before the sanctions were eventually extended on 14 March. The current round of personal sanctions covers hundreds of Russian officials and businesspeople deemed responsible for or complicit in Russia's war against Ukraine.

If no agreement is reached by 15 September, the personal sanctions package would lapse — a significant blow to EU unity at a time when Russia's military campaign in Ukraine continues.