France Demands Russia Oligarch's Sanctions Be Lifted

France has joined Slovakia in pressing the EU to remove Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov from the bloc's sanctions blacklist, prompting other member states to demand clarification on the move. The push to delist a prominent oligarch linked to Vladimir Putin challenges the EU's unified approach to Russia sanctions imposed after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Byte's take

France just handed Putin's inner circle a lifeline by demanding an oligarch's delisting—a move that exposes cracks in EU unity precisely when sanctions need teeth.