European Union member states have failed to reach a final agreement on removing Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from the bloc's sanctions list, with diplomats set to resume talks on Tuesday.
The discussions, which took place on Monday, ended without a consensus among the 27 member states. The proposed delisting of the two businessmen had been under consideration as part of the EU's periodic review of its sanctions regime against Russia.
Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman are among the most prominent Russian oligarchs to have been targeted by EU sanctions following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Both men have contested their inclusion on the list, arguing through legal channels that the measures are unjustified.
The failure to agree on Monday means the sanctions on both individuals remain in place for now. The matter is expected to be taken up again on Tuesday, when diplomats will attempt to bridge the remaining differences between member states.
EU sanctions decisions require unanimity among all member states, giving each national government an effective veto over any change to the list. This makes the removal of any individual a politically sensitive process that can be blocked by a single capital.
Some member states have been reluctant to approve delistings without clear legal justification, particularly in cases where the individuals concerned have mounted court challenges. Others have argued that maintaining the sanctions is essential to sustain pressure on Moscow.
The outcome of Tuesday's talks will be closely watched in Brussels and across European capitals, as any decision to remove the two men would mark a notable shift in the EU's approach to its sanctions regime.
For the time being, the asset freezes and travel bans imposed on Usmanov and Fridman remain in force, and no final decision has been taken on their future status.
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