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Latvia Imposes National Sanctions on Usmanov and Fridman After EU Removal
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Latvia’s Cabinet of Ministers directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to prepare proposals, legal justification, and draft legislation to impose national sanctions against Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman following their removal from the European Union sanctions list.
The move came as EU member states reached a consensus to delist several influential Kremlin-linked Russian business figures and politically connected individuals. These individuals were initially sanctioned for belonging to Vladimir Putin’s inner circle and actively supporting or benefiting from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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Despite opposition from Riga and concerns over weakening the sanctions regime, the decision to remove these individuals was finalized on September 22, following updated legal assessments and pressure from several member states.
Riga resisted the exclusion of politically connected figures until the end, remaining the sole EU member state to maintain opposition throughout the final stage of negotiations.
"By deciding to advocate for the further implementation of sanctions against these individuals, we achieved a result that is more beneficial for Latvia, Ukraine, and Europe in the long term," noted the Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs.
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The Latvian Foreign Ministry received a mandate from the government to secure the strictest possible sanctions framework across the bloc. Following direct negotiations conducted by the Prime Minister with several European leaders, officials reached an agreement designed to protect the broader restriction regime against political pressure and frequent bargaining cycles.
"It was a choice not between a good and a bad decision, but between a bad and a much worse one–the opportunity to choose between changing the status of two individuals and the future of the entire sanctions regime, which affects about 3,000 individuals and organizations associated with Russian aggression. By deciding to advocate for the further implementation of sanctions against these individuals, we achieved a result that is more beneficial for Latvia, Ukraine, and Europe in the long term," noted the Prime Minister.
Under the agreed three-pronged approach, the 36-month extension provides long-term stability for the broader sanctions list. Simultaneously, the Cabinet directed the Foreign Ministry to draft legal grounds for national sanctions against Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman to prevent their assets from circulating in Latvia.
Lastly, Latvia’s representative will abstain from the decision-making procedure in the Council of the European Union while publicly maintaining political opposition to the removal of both individuals from the EU list.
Prime Minister Kuldbergs consulted with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Prime Minister of Ukraine regarding Latvia’s decision. Ukrainian leadership thanked Latvia for its stance and noted the necessity of preserving the unified European Union sanctions framework.
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In parallel bilateral discussions over the past 24 hours, including direct talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, Latvia advanced key defense objectives.
France agreed to initiate talks on Latvia joining its "Forward Nuclear Deterrence Initiative," with a French delegation scheduled to arrive in Riga to begin formal negotiations. President Macron also committed to strengthening France's military presence on NATO's eastern flank, with a focus on air defense capabilities.
Previously, EU envoys agreed to remove billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from the Russian sanctions list while extending restrictions for around 3,000 other individuals and entities for three years.
The decision was reached after Latvia lifted its veto and abstained from the vote, following reports that France and Luxembourg had pushed for the exclusions.
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