Hungary threatens to cancel sanctions on 2,000 Russians unless EU exempts Mikhail Fridman

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Hungary threatened to renew the sanctions in the European Union imposed on about 2000 Russians unless the few Mikhail Friedman were removed from the list.

Travel restrictions and orders for freezing assets imposed on politicians and businessmen who have been considered to have supported or facilitated Russia’s war on Ukraine on Saturday unless all 27 years of storms agree to understand another six -month understanding.

The Hungary Ambassador to the European Union demanded from Friedman, who achieved his wealth in Russia before moving to London a decade ago, from the list as the Budapest price that allows to pass all other sanctions, according to four officials who were briefed on the discussions.

European Union ambassadors meet in Brussels on Thursday after days of talks that failed to reach a compromise. Kiev’s most allies in the Baltic region oppose any weakening of the European Union’s restrictions against Moscow, especially before any ceasefire talks in which the United States has interfered.

Hungary, the members of the European Union, the most supportive of Russia, led by extremist right -wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban, have repeatedly threatened to block the bloc measures against Moscow. With its efforts to remove Friedman from the list by Luxembourg, according to three officials.

Last year, Friedman filed a lawsuit against Luxembourg, where he is interested in investing in London, where he seeks to obtain sanctions related to $ 15.8 billion.

Only two of the indigenous oligarsheans who achieved their wealth in the 1990s in the 1990s to remain active in business, Friedman, born in Ukraine, initially submitted criticism of guarding President Vladimir Putin before twisting in the West and returning to Moscow last October.

Friedman refused to comment.

Hungary initially requested eight names, including other Russian billionaires such as Elisheer Othmanov and Friedman’s long -term partner Peter Aven. But Budapest dropped some of these demands, three officials said, while insisting on excluding Friedman.

Friedman and Vien won a case in the General Court of the European Union in April 2024, which found that the European Union was wrong to add them to the list in 2022. The court said it had not provided sufficient evidence of their close ties to Putin.

The victory of the few has been the highest blow to the European Union sanctions system against Russia since the invasion.

But they remain subject to the decision of the second European Union sanctions in 2023, because of their commercial presence in Russia. Latvia appealed the first ruling in the interest of the few, while Friedman and the second ruling challenged.

Late last year, Friedman and Ayn sold their shares in Alpha Bank, the largest special lend in Russia, and the sister insurance company for its partner, Andre Kosogov, who is not subject to sanctions.

The few hope that the companies sell that they are no longer to benefit from the remaining standards of the European Union’s sanctions against them on the basis that they were “business leaders.” It is participating in an economic sector that provides a large source of revenue “to the Kremlin.

Speakers of Hungary and Luxembourg governments immediately did not respond to the suspension requests.

Separately, the European Union measures targeting the Russian economy, including freezing nearly 200 billion euros in sovereign assets, will need to be needed in July.

Additional reports by Andy Pointz in Brussels and Marton Dana in Budapest