The European Union has reached a decision to lift sanctions against Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman. The move follows a period of complex internal negotiations, as EU policy mandates that any changes to sanctions lists require unanimous consent from all 27 member states. While these two individuals have been removed, the EU simultaneously confirmed that it will maintain and extend sanctions against nearly 3,000 other individuals and companies associated with Russia's ongoing military actions in Ukraine. These broader restrictions are set to remain in place for at least another three years.

There is a slight discrepancy in the framing of the event between the two sources. DW reports the news as a direct removal of sanctions, while France24 provides the additional context that this action occurred alongside a significant extension of sanctions for thousands of other parties. France24 also highlights the procedural difficulty of the decision, noting that the requirement for unanimous approval made the process particularly challenging for the bloc.