Kyiv is pushing the European Union to impose sanctions on two additional Russian billionaires, according to Le Monde.fr. The request follows earlier EU measures targeting Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, the outlet reports.
Le Monde.fr did not name the two new individuals in the material available.
The push comes amid broader friction over how far Europe should go in penalizing people close to the Kremlin. Courrier International reported that two Russian oligarchs were spared by the EU, with a headline describing the outcome as "the end of the sanctions regime."
French diplomacy has also drawn scrutiny over its role in the talks. Le Figaro reported on what it called France's troubling game in Brussels regarding sanctions on Kremlin-linked figures, quoting a warning that the approach "opens Pandora's box."
Coverage of the debate has focused heavily on Usmanov, with Les Echos calling him "the oligarch of discord." Separately, 20 Minutes reported that the sanctions dispute has created a political psychodrama in Ukraine, while noting that Trump struck an optimistic tone.
The episode underscores how individual designations have become a test of the EU's willingness to keep tightening pressure, even as some member states weigh the economic and legal consequences of each addition.
Whether Brussels moves on Kyiv's latest request — and which names it targets — is the next thing to watch.
