EU extends Russia sanctions for one week as France seeks to lift sanctions on oligarch Usmanov for an Azerbaijan prisoner swap.
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The European Union extended sanctions on Russia for just one week as diplomatic negotiations continue, per Hromadske. The short extension comes as France pushes to remove Uzbek-born Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov from the bloc’s sanctions list as part of a proposal to free French citizens imprisoned in Azerbaijan, per OC Media citing the Financial Times.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the delay, saying it is "not the time to shield Russian oligarchs" amid the ongoing negotiations, per the Kyiv Independent. The proposed prisoner swap involves several French nationals detained in Azerbaijan.
The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Russian banking giant VTB Bank, per The New Voice of Ukraine. The Kremlin responded positively to the U.S.-proposed energy ceasefire — a mutual pledge by Russia and Ukraine to stop striking each other’s energy infrastructure — with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov calling it "a very good idea," though he said it "won’t solve the world’s problems," per Meduza.
House Democratic leadership opposes a Russia sanctions bill set for a vote this week, but divisions exist among Democrats, per Axios. Republicans will need some Democratic votes to overcome defections from their isolationist wing. The bill is named in honor of the late Senator John McCain.
Sources: 1.