'Cherry-picking sanctions' risks 'normalising' Russia, Latvian PM says amid Usmanov row 😔

Andris Kulbergs, a Latvian Prime Minister, expressed concerns over the EU's decision to remove two wealthy Russian businessmen from sanctions, labeling it as 'cherry-picking' that could normalize Russia's actions. He emphasized that such exemptions should be rare and warned of the implications for future EU sanctions policy. Despite his objections, Kulbergs ultimately accepted the compromise to avoid jeopardizing the broader sanctions framework.