French Foreign Ministry discusses sanctions related to Usmanov
The French Foreign Ministry has clarified its request to lift sanctions against oligarch Alisher Usmanov, citing a “specific national security issue.” This statement comes in response to inquiries regarding Paris’s efforts to remove Usmanov from the EU sanctions list.
An official source indicated, “We have a specific national security question, and we aim to respond positively to our international partners who are appealing to us regarding Mr. Usmanov.” However, details about the exact nature of this concern were not disclosed.
Despite this, the source emphasized that France continues to be one of the most proactive nations in applying pressure on Russia and supporting Ukraine.
Media reports on September 11 indicated that Hungary and Slovakia have also called for the removal of Usmanov, along with Mikhail Friedman, with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico leading a lobbying campaign on this matter.
Context
- Usmanov is among the wealthiest Russians, with Forbes Russia estimating his wealth at $18.4 billion. His assets include Metalloinvest, Mail.ru Group, MegaFon, AliExpress Russia, and IKS Holding.
- Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the West has imposed several sanctions packages targeting major Russian banks and individuals close to the illegitimate president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, including businessmen and their families.
- Due to these sanctions, Russian businessmen’s assets have begun to be seized in the West, including the confiscation of Usmanov’s yacht.
