Bill Browder warns Norway against loosening sanctions on Russian oligarchs
Human-rights activist Bill Browder cautions Norway not to follow the EU’s recent removal of two Russian oligarchs from its sanctions list, fearing it could turn sanctions into a bargaining chip.
Bill Browder, a longtime critic of Vladimir Putin, has warned Norway that the EU’s decision to delist Russian oligarchs Alisjer Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman may set a dangerous precedent. He says the move, driven by pressure from France and Slovakia, shows how sanctions can become a tool for diplomatic bargaining, undermining their deterrent effect. Browder stresses that the West must maintain pressure on Russia amid its war in Ukraine, rather than allowing sanctions to be traded away.
Norway’s foreign ministry confirmed it has not taken a concrete position yet, noting that the national sanctions law only permits the government to implement measures adopted by international bodies. Meanwhile, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia have announced they will continue sanctioning the two oligarchs independently. Browder’s appeal highlights the risk of “hostage diplomacy” if authoritarian regimes see sanctions as negotiable.
Why it matters
The debate could shape how Western countries use sanctions to pressure Russia and other authoritarian regimes.
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