Alisher Usmanov, a Russian billionaire with close ties to Azerbaijan, has been granted an exemption from European Union sanctions by France—a decision that has surprised European diplomats and the government of Ukraine. The EU was in the process of renewing sanctions against approximately 3,000 Russian individuals and entities accused of supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine. However, France requested an exemption for Usmanov, leading the 27 EU members to delay the renewal of the sanctions, which must be approved by consensus every six months. France cited "national security" as the reason for the exemption, according to sources in Paris. Kyiv criticized the move, calling it a "gift" to Russia. According to the Financial Times, France’s decision may be linked to efforts to secure the release of several French citizens held in Azerbaijani prisons. Usmanov is a prominent Russian businessman who built his fortune in the metallurgical industry through his conglomerate Metalloinvest, the largest iron ore producer in Russia. He has also held positions in the energy sector with Gazprom and in telecommunications through MegaFon. Usmanov was once a shareholder in VKontakte, a Russian social media platform, and owns Kommerstant, a Russian economic newspaper that he turned pro-Kremlin after protests against the 2011 Russian legislative elections. He has also been involved in international sports, serving as a co-owner of the English football club Arsenal and a sponsor of Everton until 2022. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Usmanov has faced sanctions from both the United States and the European Union. The EU labeled him a "pro-Kremlin oligarch" who supported Russian leaders responsible for the annexation of Crimea and the destabilization of Ukraine. His properties have been searched in Germany, and he has lost access to luxury properties in Monaco, London, and Sardinia. In 2022, German authorities seized his yacht, the "Dilbar," valued at around $600 million by Forbes. The U.S. Treasury stated that Usmanov’s connections to the Kremlin allow him to maintain a luxurious lifestyle. However, Usmanov denies being an "oligarch" and rejects the idea of being under the orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has taken legal action against media outlets that portray him as a Kremlin ally, successfully suing Forbes and the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung for defamation. In 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union rejected his attempts to have the sanctions against him annulled. Usmanov, a Russian national, was born in Uzbekistan in 1953 and is an honorary citizen of that country. Uzbekistan, a former Soviet republic close to Moscow, shares cultural and linguistic ties with Azerbaijan and is part of the Organization of Turkic States. According to an investigation by Le Monde, Usmanov is a regular guest at dinners hosted by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at a luxury hotel in Sardinia, where he once docked his yacht. As tensions between France and Azerbaijan have grown due to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, France may be using Usmanov’s connections in Central Asia to secure the release of its citizens held in Azerbaijani prisons. Le Monde reported that France is working to free Martin Ryan, a Frenchman sentenced to ten years for "espionage," and Anass Derraz, who received a 12-year sentence in November 2025 for accepting a bribe from a Russian oligarch.