EU Extends Russia Sanctions List for One Week Amid Dispute Over Alisher Usmanov

The European Union, unable to agree on a six‑month renewal of its Russia sanctions regime, agreed at a Brussels meeting to keep the list active for an additional week. The list, covering roughly 3,000 individuals and entities, was set to expire overnight between 14 and 15 September. The impasse centered on Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, whom Slovakia and France sought to remove. The remaining 25 member states opposed the change, prompting the temporary extension until the ambassadors reconvene on 22 September. The move is the first of its kind since the invasion of Ukraine. France’s push to keep Usmanov sanctioned is linked to a prisoner‑release deal with Azerbaijan that could see French businessman Martin Ryan freed. The week‑long extension preserves the current sanctions regime while diplomatic negotiations continue.