European Union diplomats have delayed the automatic six-month renewal of sanctions against Russian individuals, extending the current measures by only seven days until September 22. The impasse stems from a dispute regarding the inclusion of Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov on the list of sanctioned individuals.

According to reports from EU diplomatic circles, France and Slovakia have requested that Usmanov be removed from the sanctions list. The primary justification provided by these nations for this request is based on national security concerns. While the EU typically renews these sanctions in six-month blocks to maintain pressure on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, this specific disagreement has prevented the standard extension from proceeding as scheduled.

The delay highlights a rare internal friction within the EU bloc regarding the implementation of its sanctions regime. While the majority of member states have supported the continued renewal of the existing list, the intervention by France and Slovakia has forced a temporary pause to allow for further deliberation. The current extension until September 22 serves as a stopgap measure while diplomats attempt to resolve the status of the billionaire before the new deadline expires.