European Union countries must agree by Tuesday on the extension of sanctions imposed in connection with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Negotiations have been prolonged due to Slovakia's position; however, Russian billionaire Petr Aven, who resides in Latvia, remains on the sanctions list. This was reported by the program [De facto](https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/latvija/13.09.2026-latvijas-pases-atnemsanai-krievijas-oligarham-avenam-neatrod-pamatu.a663000/) of Latvian television. According to the program, after the change in political leadership at the Ministry of the Interior, the position of the Latvian authorities regarding Aven's citizenship has not changed. Despite international sanctions, government agencies found no legal grounds for depriving him of his Latvian passport. De facto journalists accidentally encountered Aven last week in one of the parks in central Riga. He refused to answer questions, repeatedly stating in Latvian: "I can't right now. I'm not ready." Aven obtained Latvian citizenship even before the sanctions were imposed, taking advantage of his heritage—his grandfather was from Latvia. The legality of granting citizenship was previously verified by the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB), but the investigation concluded without identifying any violations. After the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, Aven found himself among Russian businessmen invited to a meeting in the Kremlin and was subsequently included in the EU sanctions lists as one of the entrepreneurs close to Vladimir Putin. Later, similar restrictions were also imposed on him by the USA and the UK. His assets remain frozen, and the businessman continues to challenge the sanctions in EU courts. The possibility of depriving Aven of Latvian citizenship has been studied by intelligence agencies over the past few years. Amendments to the Citizenship Law, adopted in the spring of 2022, allow for the deprivation of citizenship for individuals who have supported states committing war crimes or undermining the independence of democratic countries. However, as noted by De facto, no evidence has been presented that would allow these provisions to be applied to Aven. At the same time, discussions about extending European sanctions continue. While Hungary previously regularly opposed their extension, this position has changed following a change in leadership in Budapest. According to Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban, the country no longer intends to use its veto right regarding individuals whose exclusion does not serve Hungary's interests. Now, the main obstacle to extending the sanctions remains Slovakia. According to unofficial information, Bratislava is seeking the exclusion of Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Friedman—Aven's former business partner—from the sanctions list. Aven himself has refused to answer journalists' questions both in person and in writing. In a written comment, he stated that he does not want to become a participant in the election campaign in Latvia and be used in political struggles. Meanwhile, legal proceedings continue. An appeal regarding the sanctions that were in effect until spring 2023 is currently being considered: the EU Court previously granted Aven's lawsuit, but Latvia appealed this decision. At the same time, the businessman is also challenging the new sanctions imposed by the EU Council, which remain in effect. Thus, the issue of sanctions against Petr Aven remains open, while the authorities do not intend to reconsider his Latvian citizenship for now.
