Macron pushes EU to remove Alisher Usmanov from sanctions, sparking diplomatic row

France has ignited a sharp diplomatic dispute inside the European Union by urging that Alisher Usmanov — the Russian‑Uzbek billionaire — be removed from the EU sanctions list, a move that surprised diplomats in Brussels at a moment when the bloc is preparing to renew its package of restrictive measures against Moscow.

Paris is reportedly using the delisting request as a bargaining chip to secure the release of several French nationals currently detained in Azerbaijan. Officials say the proposal to take Usmanov off the list is not linked to the war in Ukraine but forms part of behind‑the‑scenes talks aimed at reaching a bilateral arrangement with Baku.

A diplomat in Brussels called the development "astonishing." The French government, hitherto seen as one of the most steadfast supporters of sanctions on Russian oligarchs, has not provided a detailed official explanation for why Usmanov should be excluded.

Pressure, concessions and divided member states

Brussels diplomats say France quietly sought help from Italy and Croatia to prevent the six‑month extension of the sanctions package — which covers hundreds of individuals and companies — from collapsing before the legal deadline. Those two capitals backed France’s initiative in order to secure a rapid compromise.

However, most member states have rejected the approach. A senior EU diplomat warned: "This would not only reward Russia, but also reward the practice of detaining European citizens." The prevailing concern in diplomatic circles is that accepting such exchanges could create a precedent enabling autocratic regimes outside Europe to arrest Europeans to extract legal or political relief for allies of the Kremlin.

According to officials, France discreetly apologised to the United States over the episode as the diplomatic friction spread beyond European capitals.

Photo: EPA-EFE/YURI KOCHETKOV