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German chancellor exasperated by idea of spending frozen Russian assets to help Kiev

According to the Financial Times, the idea was promoted by the US and UK but resisted by Germany, France and Italy

LONDON, December 21. /TASS/. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was exasperated at a recent meeting of EU leaders after Polish President Andrzej Duda called on the EU to confiscate and spend the 260 billion euro worth of Russian sovereign assets immobilized in Europe to maintain support for Ukraine, the Financial Times writes, citing sources.

"You don’t understand how this would affect the stability of our financial markets," Scholz told Duda, as cited by the newspaper. "You don’t even use the euro," he added.

According to the Financial Times, the idea was promoted by the US and UK but resisted by Germany, France and Italy.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier that Russia would definitely respond to the theft of its assets in Europe. He stressed that Moscow intends to take legal action against those involved. According to Peskov, Europe made the wrong move by deciding to use Russian assets to help Kiev.