EU Removes Two Russian Billionaires From Sanctions List
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The European Union has a list of sanctions on Russia. Sanctions are rules that stop people from doing business.
The EU made these rules after Russia started the war on Ukraine. The rules are for people and companies who help the war.
Now the EU has removed two rich Russian men from the list. Their names are Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman. These men are called oligarchs. An oligarch is a very rich and powerful business person.
At the same time, the EU kept sanctions on almost 3,000 other people and companies. These sanctions will last for three more years.
Ireland leads the EU right now. This is called the EU presidency. Ireland's leaders said this decision was a difficult compromise. A compromise means each side agrees to give up something.
The EU had a deadline to decide about the sanctions. A deadline is the last day to finish something.
Vocabulary15 words
- sanctions
- rules that stop trade or money with a country or person
- oligarchs
- very rich and powerful business people
- presidency
- the job of leading a group for a period of time
- compromise
- when both sides agree but each gives up something
- deadline
- the last day or time to do something
- billionaires
- people who have more than a billion dollars
- restrictions
- rules that limit what people can do
- bloc
- a group of countries that work together
- delisted
- removed from a list
- extending
- making something last longer
- war
- fighting between countries
- companies
- businesses
- removed
- taken away
- agreed
- said yes together
- individuals
- single people
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Quiz
Answer key
1. Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman 2. Three years 3. False
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
The European Union has a list of _____ on Russia. Sanctions are rules that stop people from doing business.
The EU made these rules after Russia started the _____ on Ukraine.
Now the EU has removed two rich Russian men from the list. Their names are Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail _____.
These men are called _____. An oligarch is a very rich and powerful business person.
At the same time, the EU kept sanctions on almost _____ other people and companies.
These sanctions will last for _____ more years.
Ireland leads the EU right now. This is called the EU _____.
Ireland's leaders said this decision was a difficult _____.
The EU had a _____ to decide about the sanctions.
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