Latvian PM Kulbergs opposes lifting sanctions on Usmanov and Fridman — Daily Maverick

Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs said that the country would not agree to a proposed EU arrangement under which sanctions against billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman would be lifted in exchange for extending restrictions on around 3,000 Russia-linked individuals and companies.

As Daily Maverick reports, the EU sanctions provide for asset freezes and entry bans. They were imposed because of the war waged by the Russian Federation, an aggressor state, against Ukraine. All restrictions were set to expire at midnight on Tuesday unless all 27 EU member states unanimously decided to extend them.

Latvia’s position

According to Kulbergs, extending the sanctions for 36 months would be the right step. At the same time, he stressed that the price of such a decision cannot be simply removing the two businessmen from the sanctions list. The prime minister said that he would convene an emergency government meeting on Tuesday to discuss the matter.

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Kulbergs also said that Latvia would work with Brussels and Paris to find a solution that would meet the country’s interests.

Negotiations in the EU

According to diplomats, France, together with Slovakia, pushed this month for lifting sanctions against Russian-Uzbek businessman Usmanov. After that, Luxembourg, diplomats said, demanded a similar approach regarding Fridman.

Both businessmen deny the cases against them and are taking legal action to seek the lifting of the sanctions. Fridman is seeking $16 billion from Luxembourg in a case referred to arbitration. Diplomats noted that Luxembourg believed that if sanctions against Usmanov were lifted, its position in the case for maintaining restrictions against Fridman could be weakened. EU member-state ambassadors were due to resume negotiations on Tuesday morning.