Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden defended his government’s push to remove Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman from the European Union sanctions list, stating Thursday that the measure was necessary to protect national interests and prevent harm.
Luxembourg Demands Fridman’s Removal to Prevent State Damage
Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Prime Minister Luc Frieden explained that his administration formally requested the billionaire’s exclusion from the bloc’s restrictive measures to safeguard Luxembourg’s general interests.
The billionaire has pursued international arbitration against Luxembourg, seeking approximately 15 billion euros in damages. The legal action stems from the freezing of his assets within the country under EU sanctions.
EU Member States Lift Restrictions on Fridman and Usmanov
The defense follows a diplomatic compromise reached on Tuesday, when EU member states agreed during extensive negotiations to lift sanctions on both Fridman and fellow Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov. Luxembourg’s intervention to clear Fridman occurred only after a separate push by other member states to exempt Usmanov had already been initiated.
Diplomatic maneuvering behind Usmanov’s exemption involved distinct foreign policy objectives. France and Slovakia formally requested Usmanov’s removal from the sanctions list.
Addressing Domestic and International Criticism
Faced with political backlash over the decision to roll back penalties on a prominent Russian financier, Frieden pushed back against assertions that the move weakens Luxembourg’s foreign policy posture. “That doesn’t change anything regarding our support for Ukraine,” Frieden told reporters on Thursday, maintaining that the country’s broader alignment against Russian aggression remains intact.
The removal of sanctions highlights the complex legal and diplomatic trade-offs facing European capitals as targeted individuals use international courts and bilateral pressures to dismantle asset freezes.
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