France pushes EU to ease Usmanov sanctions amid Azerbaijan pressure

PARIS — France has been actively urging the European Union to remove sanctions imposed on billionaire Alisher Usmanov, according to three European diplomats with knowledge of the diplomatic efforts. The move follows pressure from Azerbaijan, which currently detains two French nationals and three other European diplomats, the sources said.

The timing of France's sanctions relief initiative has drawn attention from observers tracking EU-Azerbaijan relations, particularly given the circumstances surrounding the detainees held by the Baku government. The connection between the two issues has raised questions about potential linkages in ongoing negotiations between Paris and Azerbaijani authorities.

Usmanov, who holds Russian and Uzbek citizenship, has been subject to EU sanctions as part of the bloc's broader response to geopolitical tensions in the region. France's effort to secure the billionaire's delisting would require consensus among all EU member states, making the initiative a significant diplomatic undertaking.

The development underscores the complex diplomatic dynamics at play in the South Caucasus, where multiple European nations maintain competing interests. Officials in Brussels have not yet publicly commented on France's proposal, and it remains unclear whether other EU members would support such a move.