On September 24, 2026, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the country would not lift sanctions on Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Friedman. This occurred during a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.
Meeting Between Burnham and Zelensky
According to information from Bloomberg, Burnham expressed disagreement with the European Union's decision to lift sanctions on the mentioned businessmen. He emphasized that Ukraine's allies should maintain restrictions to continue applying pressure on Russia and push for an end to the war.
Ukraine's Position on Sanctions
After the meeting, Zelensky stated that sanctions should not be lifted while Ukrainians are living under the threat of missile and drone strikes from Russia. Burnham supported this position, although Zelensky did not specifically mention Usmanov and Friedman.
Rift Between the UK and the EU
Burnham's criticism of the EU's decision marks a rare rift between the UK and the European Union regarding sanctions against Russia. Bloomberg also noted that Usmanov and Friedman have interests in the UK, with Friedman having lived in London before the sanctions were imposed.