On Tuesday, the European Union lifted sanctions on Alfa-Bank co-founder Mikhail Friedman and businessman Alisher Usmanov. At the same time, restrictions were extended for another three years for the other people on the lists, added because of the invasion of Ukraine.
According to Bloomberg, Friedman’s removal from the sanctions list came as a surprise to him. A source told the agency that by that point the businessman had almost lost hope that the restrictions would be lifted.
Bloomberg пишет, что Фридман получил почти случайную выгоду от усилий Усманова по снятию санкций с него. После того как Франция попросила снять санкции с Усманова, Люксембург настоял на отмене ограничений и для Фридмана.
Agency sources linked this to Friedman’s lawsuit against Luxembourg. According to them, he sued over the seizure of assets in different countries, which he owns through Luxembourg holding companies.
Bloomberg also writes that a decisive role was played by Usmanov’s network of ties with the leaders of the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia. The agency notes his ties to Uzbekistan’s elite, including President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and his warm relations with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
Several Bloomberg sources claim that the billionaires were not counting on help from Moscow in this matter. According to them, Vladimir Putin said more than once in private meetings that sanctions against them were not his concern and that they should find ways to lift the restrictions themselves.
On Wednesday, Azerbaijan pardoned French businessman Martin Ryan, who was accused of spying for French intelligence services.
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