Baltic countries against oligarchs: If the EU doesn't join in, they'll do it themselves

The European Union's decision was highly controversial and is now causing arbitrary action within the member states: After a number of sharp discussions, Brussels decided in the middle of this week to lift the EU sanctions against the two Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman. The reaction was discontent and uproar, and there was even talk of a “shameful” decision by the European Union.

There is a lack of understanding - the European Union, especially EU Foreign Affairs Representative Kaja Kallas, has tirelessly emphasized that they want to tighten the course against Russia, that they want to dry up the Kremlin's war chest and thus support Ukraine in its defense against the Russian aggressor. But due to pressure, especially from France - and also Slovakia - the two Russian entrepreneurs have now been removed from the sanctions list.

The Baltic countries are now responding with their own measures. The criticism was particularly harsh in Estonia. “Russia shows no willingness to end the war, so there is no justification for easing sanctions,” Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said while attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Estonia does not support the decision and considers it wrong.

What exactly Estonia's national measures mean is currently not clear. However, the justification for this step is clear: “Usmanov and Fridman continue to support the Russian aggression against Ukraine and are helping to ensure that it continues.” Lithuania and Latvia also made similar statements. It's about national financial restrictions or entry bans for the two oligarchs.

Unsurprisingly, criticism of the EU decision also came from Ukraine. The Baltic countries are among the largest and clearest supporters of the country, which has been at war with Russia for more than four years. Despite delicate diplomatic efforts, there is currently no end to the armed conflict in sight.

Diplomats see one main reason why France insisted so much on lifting the EU sanctions against both oligarchs: Immediately after the decision, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev pardoned a French citizen imprisoned for espionage. The Frenchman Martin Ryan was sentenced to ten years in prison in March. According to diplomats, Azerbaijan had put pressure on the government in Paris in the case of the now pardoned and another imprisoned Frenchman named Usmanov. However, there is no official confirmation of this.

Luxembourg had also campaigned for the repeal and justified this with the country's “greater interest”. Prime Minister Luc Frieden spoke of preventing damage to Luxembourg. The background: Oligarch Michail Fridman is demanding around 15 billion euros from Luxembourg before an international arbitration tribunal because his assets there were frozen due to an EU sanctions decision.

Despite the controversial decision on the two ex-sanctioned parties, all EU states are emphasizing that this does not change the support for Ukraine. The federal government also defended the decision and referred to further measures. Sanctions against around 3,000 other people were extended by 36 months, and further listings for 1,600 people are in preparation. One must not lose sight of the overall picture and the goal of continuing to put pressure on Moscow.

In the Baltic countries as well as in Poland and Romania, people are currently extremely alarmed and consider the risk of a Russian attack on a NATO state to be quite realistic. Statements from the Danish secret service support this assumption. Just this week in the Estonian capital Tallinn, NATO's deputy supreme commander in Europe, John Stringer, warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin was more willing to take risks. NATO must prepare for a “heated environment”.