LONDON, December 22. /TASS/. Transferring confiscated Russian assets which have been frozen since Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine for use in Kiev would undermine the reputation of London as a financial hub, Russian Ambassador to the United Kingdom Andrey Kelin told TASS.

"According to people, especially those in the financial sphere, these actions are not only illegitimate, they would also undermine the reputation of London as a financial hub that has been able to maintain this reputation," Kelin said.

On December 14, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said, addressing a UK parliamentary committee, that he supported the move to tap these assets. He expressed confidence that there was "a legal route" to doing this, as he added that "extraordinary times require extraordinary measures."

Two days later, the Financial Times reported that the G7 had, in recent weeks, intensified talks on spending some of the immobilized Russian assets.