> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.adriadefense.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # EU Russia Sanctions Deal Stalls as France Backs Removing Usmanov - URL: https://www.adriadefense.com/eu-russia-sanctions-deal-stalls-as-france-backs-removing-usmanov/ - Published: 2026-09-15T08:00:21.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-15T08:00:20.000Z - Description: EU ambassadors extended Russia sanctions for only seven days after failing to agree on a longer renewal, with France and Slovakia pushing to remove billionaire Alisher Usmanov from the sanctions list. - Author: AdriaDefense Desk - Tags: Russia, Intelligence, Industry, France The European Union has extended sanctions against thousands of Russian-linked individuals and companies for only seven days after member states failed to agree on a longer renewal amid a dispute over sanctioned billionaire Alisher Usmanov. EU ambassadors agreed on September 14 to keep the sanctions in force until September 22, giving member states additional time to negotiate a longer extension. The measures had been due to expire on September 15. The unusual one-week extension highlights continuing divisions inside the bloc over individual sanctions linked to Russia, despite broad agreement among EU governments on maintaining economic pressure on Moscow. At the center of the latest dispute is Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov. France has joined Slovakia in calling for Usmanov to be removed from the EU sanctions list, according to diplomats cited by Reuters. A French diplomatic source said Paris was dealing with what it described as a specific national security issue and had been approached by international partners regarding Usmanov. The French government has otherwise maintained its support for increasing pressure on Russia and continuing assistance to Ukraine. ## Nearly 3,000 individuals and entities affected The EU sanctions regime covers nearly 3,000 individuals and entities and includes asset freezes and travel restrictions. Unlike many other EU decisions, sanctions renewals require unanimous approval from all 27 member states. That requirement has repeatedly turned routine renewals into difficult negotiations, with individual governments able to delay or block extensions unless their concerns are addressed. Slovakia has previously pushed for changes to Russia-related sanctions lists, while Hungary has also challenged elements of the EU's sanctions policy in earlier negotiations. This time, however, the involvement of France adds additional weight to the dispute. Usmanov remains sanctioned by both the European Union and the United States. The billionaire built his fortune primarily through metals and mining and has also held significant interests in telecommunications, internet businesses and media. He has challenged European sanctions through multiple legal proceedings and disputes allegations used to justify his designation. ## A wider problem for Europe's sanctions architecture The disagreement exposes one of the structural weaknesses of the EU's sanctions system. Individual sanctions can only remain in place if all member states repeatedly agree to renew them. That gives national governments considerable leverage over a foreign-policy instrument intended to operate at bloc level. The EU has already moved to reduce the frequency of similar disputes around broader sectoral sanctions. In June, member states agreed to renew economic sanctions covering areas including energy for one year rather than the traditional six-month period. Individual listings, however, remain vulnerable to political bargaining over specific names. For European governments, the issue extends beyond individual oligarchs. Sanctions have become a central component of Western economic warfare and intelligence-led efforts to disrupt Russian financing, procurement networks and access to strategic technologies. Disagreements over who remains designated can therefore affect not only asset freezes but also compliance decisions by banks, defense companies, logistics providers and firms operating across Europe's dual-use supply chains. EU ambassadors are expected to continue negotiations ahead of the new September 22 deadline. Unless they reach an agreement, the bloc will once again face the question of whether individual Russian sanctions can be renewed without concessions over specific names.