Alisher Usmanov was removed from the European Union sanctions list on September 22, 2026, after EU member states reached an agreement on September 21 not to renew the measures against the Russian-Uzbek billionaire. According to diplomatic sources cited by international media, France led the push for the revision, linking the issue to French citizens detained abroad, while other member states including Italy, Croatia, and Slovakia also reviewed his status.
Diplomatic Pressure and the French Intervention
The removal concluded four years of sanctions initially imposed in 2022 following the war in Ukraine. Diplomatic sources cited by international media reported that Paris pushed for the review and connected the discussions to the case of French citizens held in Azerbaijan. One notable case involved Théo Clerc, a French citizen who was pardoned and returned to France in the summer of 2025. A source informed on the dossier stated that Usmanov played an important role in that operation, strengthening ties between the billionaire and French authorities.
France’s relationship with Usmanov also spanned cultural and sporting initiatives built over decades. His support backed the creation of the Charles Aznavour Center in Yerevan, a monument to the Franco-Soviet Normandie-Niemen fighter squadron in Moscow, and a tribute to Le Corbusier. The billionaire also purchased Pierre de Coubertin’s manifesto at auction in 2020 and donated it to the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, while the Grand Palais in Paris hosted fencing federations events.
Legal Battles and International Support
Alongside diplomatic efforts, Usmanov’s legal team mounted challenges across European courts. According to a dossier from his defense team, legal proceedings between 2022 and 2026 yielded more than 20 judicial rulings across EU countries, resulting in the correction or removal of over 3,000 publications in roughly 60 countries. In August 2026, his lawyers submitted a comprehensive summary of these rulings to the European Council and European Commission.
Governmental and institutional backing also emerged from outside the EU. The dossier notes that eight countries—Turkey, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaigian, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates—formally supported the review of Usmanov’s designation. Turkey’s diplomatic service queried the evidential basis of the sanctions, while religious figures, the International Olympic Committee, and over one hundred national fencing federations expressed support. Pope Francisco also sent Usmanov a dedicated copy of his encyclical Dilexit Nos.
Economic Networks and Industrial Supply Chains
Usmanov’s commercial footprint extended across Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East. As an entrepreneur and philanthropist holding Uzbek origin and Russian citizenship, he fostered ties with industrial firms and governments. In Slovakia, companies founded by Usmanov supplied raw materials, including inputs for lower-emission steel production, maintaining economic links that drew Bratislava into the diplomatic discussions.
In Italy, Usmanov owned a residence in Costa Smeralda and engaged with corporate partners such as the Danieli group and various financial institutions. His philanthropic contributions included funding the restoration of columns at Trajan’s Forum in Rome and the Sala degli Orazi e Curiazi on the Capitoline Hill. In 2017, the Italian Republic awarded him an honor during a ceremony attended by President Sergio Mattarella, and Italy joined countries supporting his removal in 2026.
Common Questions About the Decision
Why was Alisher Usmanov removed from the EU sanctions list?
EU member states agreed not to renew sanctions against Usmanov after diplomatic pressure led by France, supported by Italy, Croatia, Slovakia, and several non-EU nations, alongside a series of successful legal challenges brought by his defense team.
When did the European Union lift the sanctions?
EU member states reached an agreement on September 21, 2026, and the Council formally adopted the decision on September 22, 2026, while concurrently extending sanctions on over 3,000 other individuals and entities linked to the war in Ukraine for another three years.
Which countries supported the review of his sanctions status?
Diplomatic efforts and formal requests for review involved France, Italy, Croatia, Slovakia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. Latvia opposed the agreement.
What role did legal challenges play in the decision?
Usmanov’s legal team secured more than 20 judicial rulings in European national courts between 2022 and 2026, which challenged the underlying evidence and documentation used by EU bodies to justify maintaining the restrictive measures.
Keep reading