Photo via The Straits Times

EU renews Russia sanctions, drops Russian billionaires Usmanov and Fridman

Read the original at The Straits Times ↗
Cite

The Straits Times. (2026, September 22). EU renews Russia sanctions, drops Russian billionaires Usmanov and Fridman. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/eu-renews-russia-sanctions-drops-russian-billionaires-usmanov-and-fridman

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

The Straits Times · collected 2026-09-22 · by The Straits Times

Quick Summary

EU envoys agreed on September 22 to extend Russia sanctions on 3,000 individuals and entities for three years but dropped two Russian billionaires, Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman. The move required unanimous approval from all EU countries; Latvia initially vetoed the agreement until it abstained, allowing the decision to pass. Earlier in September, France had proposed removing Usmanov due to national security concerns, followed by Luxembourg’s demand for Fridman's removal because of a $16 billion lawsuit against the country.
Written by AI on 2026-09-22, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

On September 22, Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs opposed a deal that would lift EU sanctions on Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, arguing it set an unacceptable precedent. The sanctions, imposed due to Russia's war in Ukraine, were originally scheduled to expire at midnight but could be renewed for three years if all 27 EU member countries agreed unanimously. France had previously pushed to remove Usmanov from the list citing national security concerns, and Luxembourg followed suit with Fridman. Despite initial resistance, Latvia eventually abstained from voting after a compromise was reached, allowing sanctions on nearly 3,000 other individuals and entities to be renewed for three years while lifting those on Usmanov and Fridman. This decision prompted outrage in Ukraine, whose foreign minister warned it sent the wrong message to Russia by dividing European unity.

Written for “Russia Sanctions Lifted” on 2026-11-04, grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Russia Sanctions Lifted
Politics · 3 article(s) covering the same event. See how they differ ↓

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 14% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
Latvian PM opposes deal to lift sanctions on Russia-linked billionaires Usmanov and Fridman Same event
The Straits Times
⚖️ Leans left Hedges 3 of 17 claims Outlet record 66/100
Ukraine anger as EU removes Russian oligarchs from sanctions list Same event
BBC News
Hedges 2 of 22 claims Outlet record 68/100
Trump signs sweeping Russia sanctions bill, aiming to choke off funds for Moscow in Ukraine war Different event
Toronto Star
⚖️ Leans left Hedges 0 of 3 claims Outlet record 64/100
“The articles describe different sanction actions by the US and EU on separate dates.”
Trump signs bill authorising sweeping Russia sanctions Different event
The Straits Times
⚖️ Leans left Hedges 1 of 15 claims Outlet record 66/100
“The articles describe different sanction actions taken by the US and the EU on separate dates.”
Trump signs bill authorizing sweeping Russia sanctions Different event
National Post
⚖️ Leans left Hedges 1 of 16 claims Outlet record 60/100
“The articles describe different actions by the U.S. President signing sanctions against Russia versus the EU renewing sanctions but dropping two billionaires.”
EU foreign policy chief calls for continued sanctions on Russia Different event
The Straits Times
⚖️ Leans left Hedges 0 of 17 claims Outlet record 66/100
“Article A reports on a call for continued sanctions during a meeting of European Union foreign affairs ministers, while Article B describes the actual renewal and modification of Russia sanctions by EU envoys.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
7
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
14%
1 of 7 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
66/100
The Straits Times's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
3
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-22 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

The Straits Times · 4330 article(s) · 5 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 5 correction(s)
2026-10-30
Number of residents leaving Oleshky still unclear, Kyiv says
2026-10-21
X Community Notes ‘failed’ to flag US election falsehoods, study says
2026-10-04
Tennessee prison chief resigns after failed execution
2026-10-03
US prison chief resigns after failed execution of death row inmate Christa Pike
2026-09-13
Russia hits Ukrainian-Polish border area, Kyiv says

Who wrote this

The Straits Times
2834 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 The midterm elections will determine whether Republicans keep control of Congress and will shape the rest of Trump’s second term.
2026-11-04 · assertive framing · US midterms: Trump rages at Fox as US midterms voting wraps
🔮 He will succeed Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, who is retiring after 18 years.
2026-11-04 · assertive framing · Chris Pappas holds New Hampshire US Senate seat for Democrats
🔮 Americans went to the polls on Nov 3 in midterm elections that will determine who controls Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term.
2026-11-04 · assertive framing · Takeaways from the US midterm elections
🔮 It added that Martin had also made contact with the DSA in August and obtained the e-mail addresses of DSA members, after which they were added to a mailing list that sent them threatening messages, warning they could be arrested if they voted.
2026-11-04 · assertive framing · US midterms: Oklahoma City man charged over threatening letters to election officials ahead of polls
🔮 He will then begin meeting the political parties.
2026-11-04 · assertive framing · Israeli PM Netanyahu, attorney general trade barbs over poll fraud allegations
🔮 As Binance publicly said it could easily reimburse any losses from the hack on Oct 30, employees were privately expressing doubts to one another that they would be paid bonuses this year, said people familiar with the matter.
2026-11-04 · assertive framing · Over sleepless nights, Binance fought to contain hack
🔮 “A transport minister in a country like Spain cannot remain in office after two accidents of such seriousness in less than a year, however different they may be, whether or not I bear direct responsibility,” Puente told Members of Parliament, referring to the latest tragedy and a January crash in Andalusia that claimed 46 lives.
2026-11-04 · assertive framing · Spanish transport minister offers resignation after deadly train crash
🔮 WASHINGTON, Nov 3 - Americans went to the polls on Tuesday in midterm elections that will determine who controls Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term.
2026-11-04 · assertive framing · Takeaways from the US midterm elections
🔮 “We are witnessing the biggest election cheating scandal in the history of the state of Alaska – maybe one of the biggest in the US Senate’s history.”
2026-11-04 · mixed framing · US midterms: Alaskan in tight Senate race accuses Democrats of ‘election cheating’
🔮 Carney said the US had withdrawn some earlier demands, including one that would have given Washington final say over any trade deals that Canada might seek to sign with other nations.
2026-11-03 · assertive framing · Trump says US close to trade deal with Canada, Carney says work remains
Also by The Straits Times
US midterms: Trump rages at Fox as US midterms voting wraps
2026-11-04 · The Straits Times
Chris Pappas holds New Hampshire US Senate seat for Democrats
2026-11-04 · The Straits Times
Israeli PM Netanyahu, attorney general trade barbs over poll fraud allegations
2026-11-04 · The Straits Times
US midterms: Oklahoma City man charged over threatening letters to election officials ahead of polls
2026-11-04 · The Straits Times
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 2834 articles by The Straits Times →

Topics

BRUSSELS France Latvia Russia Russian

Subjects

Russian NORP · 4× Latvia GPE · 3× Fridman PERSON · 2× Russia GPE · 2× Usmanov PERSON · 2× Alisher Usmanov PERSON · 1× BRUSSELS GPE · 1× France GPE · 1× Luxembourg GPE · 1× Mikhail Fridman PERSON · 1×

Narrative

EU renews Russia sanctions, drops Russian billionaires Usmanov and Fridman BRUSSELS, Sept 22 - EU envoys agreed to drop two billionaires from its Russian sanctions list and to roll over the remaining 3,000 individuals and entities for three years after Latvia dropped its veto, EU diplomats said on Tuesday.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-22
🔮 The decision will only be formally adopted once a process known as a written procedure has been completed.
2026-09-22 · The Straits Times
EU renews Russia sanctions, drops Russian billionaires Usmanov and Fridman · assertive framing

Claims (7 extracted, 1 hedged)

EU renews Russia sanctions, drops Russian billionaires Usmanov and Fridman BRUSSELS, Sept 22 - EU envoys agreed to drop two billionaires from its Russian sanctions list and to roll over the remaining 3,000 individuals and entities for three years after Latvia dropped its veto, EU diplomats said on Tuesday. asserted
diplomats → renew → Tuesday
EU envoys had earlier agreed to remove the Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman in exchange for a three-year renewal but Latvia was the last holdout in an unusually fraught process. asserted
Latvia → agree → process
Sanctions require unanimity among EU countries to be approved and, previously, Russia designations were up for renewal every six months. asserted
designations → require → renewal
Latvia ultimately abstained, diplomats said, which allowed the deal to pass. asserted
deal → abstain → ?
The decision will only be formally adopted once a process known as a written procedure has been completed. asserted
process → adopt → procedure
Earlier this month, France shocked other EU members when it pushed for Russian-Uzbek metals tycoon Usmanov to be removed from EU sanctions, citing national security concerns. asserted
Usmanov → shock → concerns
Luxembourg then demanded the same treatment for Fridman, who has launched a $16 billion claim against the country. uncertain
who → demand → country
💬Give feedback
🕘History 🎫Support
Terms · Privacy · beta v2.0.0
Articles to 4 Nov 2026