Representatives from across Europe have reached a deal to preserve a wide array of restrictions against various Russian entities. The European Union agreed to extend sanctions on nearly 3,000 individuals and organizations for 3 years after Latvia dropped a veto hours before a September 22 deadline. In exchange, the bloc removed billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from its blacklist, following lobbying by France and Luxembourg. Fridman had previously filed a $16 billion claim against Luxembourg.

Ukraine characterized the delisting of the two tycoons as an unacceptable concession to Moscow, and UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham told President Volodymyr Zelenskyy he disagreed with the decision. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also pardoned French national Martin Ryan and 19 other prisoners the day after the EU move. Euronews reported that France pushed for Usmanov's removal to secure Ryan's release from a 10 year sentence for espionage, though Paris has not publicly confirmed such an arrangement.