Russia's designation of unfriendly countries has expanded beyond foreign economic policy into domestic courts, family law, property rights and financial obligations, with a string of decrees and rulings extending its reach to individuals. Euronews reported that the list was formalised in March 2022 as retaliation after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, covering the US, the UK, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, Ukraine, Australia, New Zealand and EU member states.
This autumn, the Russian government nearly doubled import duties on spirits from unfriendly countries from 20% to 35%, affecting European and North American producers. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the placement of foreign companies' Russian assets under temporary administration was directly linked to those companies' home countries being on the list, affecting operations of firms such as Nesté, Auchan, Metro Cash & Carry and Japan Tobacco International.
Russia's Supreme Court cited the unfriendly countries designation in a child custody dispute, ruling that returning a child to France could run counter to her interests. In March 2025, Alexei Ermakov took his daughter to Turkey and Slovakia with the consent of her mother, Anna Tishkova, before bringing her to Russia, where he arranged Russian citizenship. Despite international agreements, the court declined to order her return to France.
A bill supported in the State Duma would allow vehicles stolen or illegally exported from unfriendly countries to be registered in Russia to address legal gaps. In a separate case, the Supreme Court ordered the Interior Ministry to register a vehicle flagged in an international database at Canada's request.
President Vladimir Putin signed a decree this autumn treating individuals without citizenship of Russia or a friendly state, or a residency permit, as persons from unfriendly countries. A further decree allows Russian debtors to withhold payment from creditors in unfriendly countries, departing from standard contract principles.
Russia's application of a foreign-policy designation departs from norms in conventions it ratified, such as the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, which obligates signatory states to return children removed across borders without consent.
Source: Euronews. Read the original report ↗