EU nears deal to break impasse over French request to remove Usmanov from sanctions, tell me about this news in (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/eu-nears-deal-to-break-impasse-over-french-request-to-remove-usmanov-from-sanctions/ar-AA2cFj4g?ocid=BingNewsVerp)

Here is an overview of the news regarding the European Union’s negotiations over the French request to remove Alisher Usmanov from its sanctions list:

• The Sanctions Renewal Impasse: The EU requires unanimous agreement from all 27 member states to renew individual sanctions against Russian entities and figures. The measures were facing an expiration deadline in mid-September after negotiations deadlocked.

• The French Request: In an unexpected move, France joined Slovakia in pushing to lift EU sanctions (asset freezes and travel bans) on Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov.

• Motivations Behind France’s Stance: Reporting and diplomatic sources indicate that France’s request is tied to efforts to secure the release of French nationals currently detained in Azerbaijan, following diplomatic pressure and lobbying linked to Baku.

• Package Agreement: To break the deadlock and prevent the entire sanctions regime from lapsing, EU ambassadors reached a provisional compromise. Under the deal, the EU agreed to extend sanctions on thousands of other Russian individuals and entities for a longer period of three years (36 months), rather than the standard 6- or 12-month renewals.

• Additional Delistings: Alongside Usmanov, Russian businessman Mikhail Fridman was included in the delisting proposal at the request of Luxembourg, which sought to avoid weakening its legal standing in a multibillion-dollar arbitration case involving Fridman’s frozen assets.

• Significance: The move caused significant debate within the bloc, as lifting sanctions in connection with diplomatic leverage or detainee negotiations sets an unusual precedent in EU foreign policy regarding wartime sanctions on Russian figures.