The European Union agreed on Friday to renew sanctions on Russian individuals and entities but kept Russian tycoon Mikhail Fridman on the list despite pressure from Hungary, EU diplomats said. EU sanctions must be renewed every six months in a unanimous vote by the 27 member states' ambassadors to Brussels.

The EU has removed three Russian oligarchs from the latest sanctions list under pressure from Hungary, Vedomosti reported on March 14 citing Bloomberg. EU sources say the three unnamed Russian citizens were removed from the sanctions list and the EU has begun the so-called written procedure,