France Pressures EU to Remove Russian Oligarch Usmanov from Sanctions List to Free Prisoners in Azerbaijan

France has unexpectedly pushed the European Union to remove Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov from its sanctions list, linking the demand to the release of French citizens imprisoned in Azerbaijan. The diplomatic standoff has stalled the renewal of EU-wide restrictive measures affecting over 3,000 individuals ahead of a critical September 22 legal deadline.

Here is why that matters for European foreign policy. For months, Brussels has maintained a unified front on economic restrictions designed to squeeze the Kremlin’s war machine. But this recent maneuver from Paris exposes the raw, transactional nature of statecraft when bilateral security and citizen detentions collide with multilateral sanctions regimes.

The Diplomatic Standoff in Brussels

Last week, French diplomats surprised their European counterparts by aligning with Slovakia to block the routine extension of EU sanctions against Russia. The blockade centers entirely on Alisher Usmanov, a prominent metals and mining tycoon who was hit with EU penalties shortly after Moscow launched its offensive in Ukraine in February 2022. Slovakia had already been pushing to remove Usmanov and fellow Russian businessman Mikhail Fridman from the blacklist, creating an administrative logjam.

European ambassadors are now racing against the clock. The current sanctions framework applies to more than 3,000 entities and individuals, forcing the EU to temporarily extend the restrictive measures to September 22. If member states fail to reach a compromise before that deadline expires, the entire legal architecture underpinning the sanctions regime risks lapsing.

While Paris initially offered few official explanations beyond vague references to “national safety,” international reporting has clarified the underlying mechanics. Diplomatic sources cited by outlets like the Financial Times and Euronews revealed that the French demand directly ties Usmanov’s delisting to ongoing efforts to secure the freedom of French nationals detained in Azerbaijan.

Baku’s Leverage and the Detention of French Citizens

To understand why Paris is willing to risk a rift in European solidarity, you have to look at the Caucasus. Azerbaijan has long campaigned for Usmanov’s removal from European blacklists, pointing to the billionaire’s close, long-standing relationships with Azerbaijani leadership and the wider Turkic world. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly raised the issue earlier this year in a letter to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, urging governments to lift the restrictions.

In Baku, several French citizens are currently caught in the legal system. Businessmen Martin Ryan and Anass Derraz are both serving lengthy prison sentences. Ryan was arrested in 2023 and sentenced to 10 years in prison earlier this year on espionage charges, with prosecutors alleging he worked with French intelligence to gather data on military and foreign relations. Paris has flatly rejected those accusations, while Derraz is serving a nine-year sentence stemming from a separate bribery case.

By throwing its weight behind the push to clear Usmanov, Paris appears to be using its leverage within the EU Council to pry open prison doors in Baku. It’s a classic manifestation of hard-nosed national interest crashing against collective European policy.

Inside the Sanctions Stalemates

Element	Detail
Target Individual	Alisher Usmanov (Russian billionaire, metallurgy and mining)
Primary State Drivers	France, Slovakia, and Azerbaijan (supporting delisting)
Detained French Nationals	Martin Ryan (10-year sentence for espionage) and Anass Derraz
Scope of EU Sanctions	Over 3,000 individuals and entities
Critical Legal Deadline	September 22 (risk of sanctions lapse)

The situation puts the European External Action Service in a difficult position. Usmanov, an Uzbek-born magnate with vast interests across telecommunications and mining, has consistently denied all allegations of financial ties to President Vladimir Putin. He has actively challenged the EU’s restrictive measures in European courts, recently notching legal victories in defamation cases in Germany.

Yet the legal battles in European courtrooms are only part of the puzzle. When bilateral consular disputes hijack multilateral sanctions renewals, the EU’s credibility as a cohesive geopolitical actor takes a direct hit. Other member states watching the closed-door negotiations in Brussels are growing increasingly frustrated by how a handful of bilateral grievances can paralyze continent-wide security architecture.

What Lies Ahead for the European Sanctions Regime

As EU ambassadors scramble to finalize text ahead of the upcoming deadline, the core tension remains unresolved. Can Brussels maintain its hard line against Moscow while individual capitals cut behind-the-scenes deals to spring detained citizens from foreign jails?

Photo: europesays.com

For Archyde readers tracking the shifting currents of international diplomacy, this episode serves as a stark reminder. Beneath the polished veneer of summit communiqués and legal frameworks, foreign policy is still driven by raw leverage, hostage diplomacy, and the unyielding demands of national capitals. Where do you draw the line between protecting your citizens abroad and upholding a unified international coalition?