EU struggles to renew Russia sanctions as deadline looms

European Union member states remain at odds over renewing sanctions against nearly 3,000 Russian entities and individuals tied to the Ukraine war, with restrictions set to expire unless agreement is reached. Some EU countries are pushing to lift sanctions on Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman in exchange for maintaining broader penalties on other targets.

• ▪Sanctions on approximately 3,000 Russian entities accused of supporting the war in Ukraine expire at end of day without EU consensus.
• ▪Some EU nations seek to remove penalties on billionaires Usmanov and Fridman while keeping sanctions on thousands of other Russian individuals and businesses.
• ▪Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov rejected all Western sanctions as illegal and called for their complete removal.
• ▪EU deadlock comes as the bloc prepares for talks with Ukraine and faces pressure on other strategic issues including Greenland.
• ▪The sanctioned entities include businesses and individuals involved in financing and supporting Russia’s military operations.
• ▪Any lapse in sanctions would significantly weaken Western pressure on Moscow over its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Source: according to media reports