UK keeps Usmanov, Fridman sanctions in place despite EU’s backtrack
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Andy Burnham and Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Photo: REUTERS/Toby Melville)
UK PM Andy Burnham told President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that
he does not support the European Union’s decision to lift
sanctions on Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, Bloomberg
reported on Sept. 24, citing sources.
According to the news agency, Burnham made the statement during a meeting with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Burnham confirmed that London would maintain sanctions against both oligarchs and urged Ukraine’s allies not to ease pressure on Russia.
“The criticism marks a rare break between the UK and EU over their Russia sanctions, which have been largely aligned since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022,” Bloomberg wrote.
“The EU’s decision on Tuesday [Sept. 22] will prolong sanctions for three years on nearly 3,000 businessmen, politicians and companies, but it came at the cost of dropping restrictions on two of Russia’s wealthiest businessmen, Usmanov and Fridman.”
Usmanov is best known internationally for his former investment in London soccer club Arsenal, which he exited in 2018. Fridman lived in London for many years.
Media reports said Slovakia, France, and Luxembourg supported the initiative to remove them from the list, and that the decision was not coordinated with Ukraine.
Earlier, Ukrainska Pravda reported that France had sought to
have sanctions against Usmanov lifted as part of an effort to reach a private
agreement with Azerbaijan. Baku had promised to release several French citizens
from prison if the EU made a favorable decision regarding the oligarch.
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