EU set to lift sanctions on Belarusian businessman Shautsou and Russian Mikhail Gutseriev

EU ambassadors plan to agree on 7 October to lift sanctions against Russian businessman Mikhail Gutseriev and Belarusian entrepreneur Viktar Shautsou. The preparation of such a decision was reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Brussels correspondent Rikard Jozwiak, citing diplomatic sources.

Both businessmen were included in the "Belarusian blacklist", and both had challenged the imposition of sanctions. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's sources link the lifting of sanctions to the businessmen's victories in EU courts. They claim that the EU considers the legal grounds for maintaining the sanctions to be weak.

Gutseriev will nonetheless remain under sanctions. On 23 July 2026, he was added to a separate list related to Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The EU Council justified this by citing his activities in sectors of the Russian economy that generate significant revenues for the Russian government, as well as his support for that government through investments.

Shautsou does not appear on any other lists.