The European Union has announced that it has voted to extend sanctions against 2,600 Russian individuals and entities for an additional six months after Slovakia lifted its objection.
The Council of the European Union indicated that the sanctions, initially imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, have now been extended until September 15, just one day before the previous six-month period was set to expire.
The renewal required unanimous support, and Slovakia had been adamant about removing two names from the list: billionaire Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, one of the founders of Alfa Group.
According to a diplomatic source within the EU speaking to AFP, Slovakia did not achieve the outcome it was seeking.
However, the EU has removed two names from the list without disclosing their identities, as well as five others due to their deaths.
Both Slovakia and Hungary, which have shown close ties to Moscow, threatened not to support the renewal of the sanctions in their current form.
These countries have accused Ukraine of intentionally delaying the reopening of the Druzhba pipeline, which transports Russian oil to them, while Ukraine asserts that the pipeline was damaged by Russian strikes in January.
Hungary continues to block a $100 million loan from the EU to Ukraine and new sanctions against Moscow due to the ongoing dispute over oil with Kyiv.
