German Court Rules Against Blocking Usimanov's EU Lawsuit
Germany's top civil court found a Hamburg court president acted unlawfully in blocking Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov's lawsuit against the EU Council.
Germany's Federal Court of Justice ruled that the president of the Hamburg Regional Court acted unlawfully when he prevented a case filed by Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov against the Council of the European Union from proceeding, according to a statement released November 2, 2026.
The ruling centers on a dispute in which Usmanov sought to bring legal action against the EU Council before a German court. The Hamburg court president intervened to block the case, an action the Federal Court of Justice determined exceeded his authority and contravened the directive of the judge responsible for the matter.
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Germany's Foreign Office had also sought to prevent the lawsuit from being heard before a German tribunal, adding a diplomatic dimension to the legal dispute. The Federal Court of Justice's decision effectively rejects that effort by affirming that the presiding judge's order should not have been overridden.
The case underscores mounting legal battles being waged by Russian oligarchs and business figures in European courts as they challenge sanctions and other measures imposed by EU institutions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Usmanov has been among the most prominent figures pursuing such litigation across multiple jurisdictions.
Legal analysts note that the ruling raises procedural questions about the limits of judicial administrative authority when national government ministries seek to influence pending litigation on geopolitical grounds. Continue reading at All Financial Services & Investing.
