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Spotlight | Azerbaijan, Europe, France, Kazakhstan
Usmanov delisted, Latvia's nuclear status confirmed, a pardon: France's intense diplomatic bartering revealed

Subscribers only By Pierre Gastineau

Published on 23.09.2026 at 12:37 GMT. Updated on 24.09.2026 at 08:01 GMT 5 min read Lire en français

French President Emmanuel Macron walks past (L-R), Bosnia and Herzegovina's chairman of the Presidency Zeljko Komsic, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker at the European Political Community Summit in Copenhagen, on 2 October 2025. © Ludovic Marin/AFP

Published on 23/09/26 at 12:37 GMT: A fierce diplomatic battle waged by Paris behind the scenes has resulted in the lifting of sanctions against Russian-Uzbek businessman Alisher Usmanov. But France's intense lobbying has revealed divisions and posturing both within the EU and French diplomacy. Intelligence Online has the inside story.

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Spotlight | Azerbaijan, Europe, France, Kazakhstan
Usmanov delisted, Latvia's nuclear status confirmed, a pardon: France's intense diplomatic bartering revealed

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Spotlight | Azerbaijan, Europe, France, Kazakhstan Usmanov delisted, Latvia's nuclear status confirmed, a pardon: France's intense diplomatic bartering revealed

Keep reading with one of these options:

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Read also

Armenia, United Kingdom, United States Chair of Trump's Trans-Caspian fund linked to sanctions-busting Swiss lawyer

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Azerbaijan, France Baku opponents join forces ahead of high-stakes French trial for Azerbaijani regime

Azerbaijan, France Behind the scenes of Paris-Baku negotiations, with London, to release French nationals held there

France, Russia DGSE's key role in securing Moscow's release of French researcher Laurent Vinatier

About Intelligence Online

Subscription

Intelligence Online on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

Spotlight | Azerbaijan, Europe, France, Kazakhstan
Usmanov delisted, Latvia's nuclear status confirmed, a pardon: France's intense diplomatic bartering revealed

Armenia, United Kingdom, United States
Chair of Trump's Trans-Caspian fund linked to sanctions-busting Swiss lawyer

The Agencies' Gazette
ODNI, ASIO, France and cyber threats, Kazakh security council

France, Russia
Russian ambassador to France leaves his post

Spotlight | Azerbaijan
Baku's 'UN of spies' takes off

France, Georgia
DGSE at heart of high-profile espionage case exposed by Georgian intel

Azerbaijan, France
Baku holding cards in diplomatic game with Paris, Frenchman still in prison

Armenia, France
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France
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Azerbaijan, France
Baku opponents join forces ahead of high-stakes French trial for Azerbaijani regime

Azerbaijan, France
Behind the scenes of Paris-Baku negotiations, with London, to release French nationals held there

France, Russia
DGSE's key role in securing Moscow's release of French researcher Laurent Vinatier