Euronews: Latvia blocked a proposed EU agreement to remove billionaires linked to Russia, Elisher Osmannov and Mikhail Friedman, from its sanctions blacklist in exchange for extending sanctions on nearly 3,000 other people and entities for three years.

Euronews: Latvia blocked a proposed EU agreement to remove billionaires linked to Russia, Elisher Osmannov and Mikhail Friedman, from its sanctions blacklist in exchange for extending sanctions on nearly 3,000 other people and entities for three years.

France and Slovakia pushed for the extradition of Osmannov, while Luxembourg requested similar treatment for Friedman. According to reports, the French request is linked to efforts to secure the release of French citizens detained in Azerbaijan.

EU ambassadors are renewing negotiations as sanctions face a deadline at midnight on September 22. Without unanimous agreement from all 27 member states, the measures could fail.