The EU is preparing to lift sanctions against Russian-linked billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Friedman this Monday, according to diplomats. The move is part of a compromise agreement to ensure that thousands of other individuals and organizations continue to be sanctioned. The proposed agreement is still subject to approval by all EU member states. Earlier, France and Luxembourg each pressured that one of the two be removed from the EU sanctions list. This was clearly due to their respective domestic political considerations. The move sparked strong discontent in some other EU countries as well as Ukraine.

The EU is preparing to lift sanctions against Russian-linked billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Friedman this Monday, according to diplomats. The move is part of a compromise agreement to ensure that thousands of other individuals and organizations continue to be sanctioned. The proposed agreement is still subject to approval by all EU member states. Earlier, France and Luxembourg each pressured that one of the two be removed from the EU sanctions list. This was clearly due to their respective domestic political considerations. The move sparked strong discontent in some other EU countries as well as Ukraine.