EU Extends Sanctions Against Russia While Removing Four Individuals

In a recent decision, the European Union has agreed to extend sanctions against over 2,400 individuals and organizations until mid-September. These sanctions are aimed at those who threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine. The measures include travel bans, asset freezes, and restrictions on business operations within EU territory.

The extension of sanctions, which has been a routine process since their introduction following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, faced unexpected hurdles due to objections from Hungary. Budapest sought concessions related to the release of frozen EU funds, specifically aiming to access EUR12 billion from cohesion funds and EUR10 billion from the COVID recovery fund. In a compromise, four individuals were removed from the sanctions list, which otherwise would have lapsed over the weekend.

The individuals removed from the sanctions include prominent figures such as Michail Degtjarjow, Russia's Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Olympic Committee; Moshe Kantor, a businessman holding British and Israeli citizenship; Gulbahor Ismailova, sister of Alisher Usmanov, a major steel producer in Russia; and Vladimir Raschewskyj, former director of the fertilizer company Eurochem. Notably, Raschewskyj's inclusion on the list had been criticized as lacking sufficient justification.

Some of the individuals previously sanctioned had challenged their listings in the European Court, achieving partial success. In April 2024, the court ruled that the European Council did not provide adequate evidence linking certain individuals, including bankers Mikhail Fridman and Pyotr Aven, to actions undermining Ukraine's sovereignty. The mere association with President Vladimir Putin was deemed insufficient for sanctions. Despite this, the Council did not fully comply with the court's findings, making only minor adjustments to their justification.

Hungary's resistance to the sanctions extension was evident earlier this year when it stalled the approval process, only relenting just before the deadline without securing any concessions at that time. EU diplomats suspect that Hungary's maneuvering is part of a broader strategy to exert pressure for the release of funds.

The Slovakian government supported Hungary's request for the removal of names from the sanctions list, although it had sent mixed signals regarding its stance. Reports indicated that the Slovak ambassador had not received consistent instructions.

As tensions between the EU and Russia persist, the continued application of sanctions reflects the bloc's commitment to supporting Ukraine amid ongoing geopolitical challenges.