"A strange decision": Zelenskyy's office reacted to the EU lifting sanctions against Fridman and Usmanov
Kyiv • UNN
Vladyslav Vlasiuk criticized the EU's decision to remove Usmanov and Fridman from the sanctions list. Ukraine is preparing new restrictions.
Ukraine plans to propose new sanctions against Russian oligarchs following the EU’s decision not to extend the restrictions against Mikhail Fridman and Alisher Usmanov. Presidential Commissioner of Ukraine for Sanctions Policy Vladyslav Vlasiuk told UNN in a comment on September 23.
Details
"We consider the EU’s decision not to extend the sanctions against Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman very strange. We see no change in circumstances that could justify this. russia continues its war, while their ties to the kremlin, which were among the grounds for the sanctions, have not disappeared. This looks especially strange against the backdrop of increased sanctions pressure from the United States and the adoption of the ‘hell sanctions’ (the Lindsey Graham Act — ed.)," the official said.
According to him, russia is trying to weaken the unity of the EU in its sanctions policy. He stressed that the lifting of restrictions against individual Russian businesspeople should not become a new practice.
"That is why we will propose new sanctions decisions, in particular against Russian oligarchs linked to Russia’s defense industry who are still not under sanctions. It is now important to focus on increasing sanctions pressure on russia. At the same time, we value the EU’s decision to extend for another 36 months the sanctions against individuals and organizations responsible for undermining the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine. This is an important decision that gives the sanctions regime the necessary long-term perspective," Vlasiuk stressed.
Context
On September 22, the EU adopted a decision to extend for 36 months the sanctions against individuals and legal entities involved in Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
At the same time, the EU removed Usmanov and Fridman from the sanctions list.