After weeks of tense debate, the European Union has reached a last-minute agreement to extend its sanctions against Russia, keeping pressure on Moscow amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to Kronen Zeitung. Officials confirmed the decision on Saturday, saying the measures will stay in place for another six months.
At the heart of the dispute were two names that divided EU governments, Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman. Slovakia and Hungary had pushed for their removal from the sanctions list, arguing there wasn’t enough evidence of their direct involvement in the war effort. But other member states, including Germany and France, insisted their ties to the Kremlin were too close to ignore. In the end, both oligarchs remain sanctioned.
Altogether, sanctions against roughly 2,600 individuals and entities have been renewed. The measures include travel bans, the freezing of assets, and a ban on providing financial resources to those accused of supporting Russia’s military aggression. These steps were first introduced in 2022 in response to what the EU calls Russia’s “unprovoked invasion” of Ukraine.
Two people, however, were removed from the list: Maja Nikolayevna Bolotova and Dutch businessman Niels Troost. Officials said evidence connecting them to Moscow’s war activities was weak. Bolotova, the daughter of oil executive and Putin ally Nikolai Tokarev, was originally listed because of her family ties. Troost’s inclusion in 2024 stemmed from accusations that he helped Russia bypass oil price caps, though investigators now suggest the evidence was insufficient.
Despite this compromise, the EU remains divided. A new package of additional sanctions against Russia is still on hold due to objections from Hungary, which wants an end to its dispute over halted Russian oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline. Budapest claims Kyiv is preventing the flow of oil to Hungary and Slovakia, raising tensions further.
Both Usmanov and Fridman, long considered Kremlin-friendly figures, are accused by the EU of using their influence and wealth to support President Vladimir Putin’s leadership. For now, the bloc’s message is clear; unity may be uneasy, but the pressure on Moscow continues.
