BRUSSELS, December 18. /TASS/. EU leaders are unlikely to agree on using frozen Russian assets due to differences between "irreconcilable camps" within the association, Politico reported, citing sources.
TASS has compiled the main information about the situation.
Disagreements in EU
- EU diplomats worked for 11 hours to reach a compromise to retain the decision on a so-called reparation loan to Kiev, which is to be adopted at the summit on December 18-19, Politico said.
- Four EU officials told the newspaper that a key point in the discussion was the idea of excluding Hungary and Slovakia from the general debt repayment scheme, as both countries oppose further aid to Ukraine.
- As Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said upon his arrival in Brussels on Wednesday evening, the issue of expropriating Russian assets has been removed from the EU summit agenda.
- This information has not been officially confirmed.
- On December 16, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced in the European Parliament that the decision to expropriate Russian assets under the guise of a so-called reparation loan scheme for Kiev "should be taken at the EU summit before [Catholic] Christmas" (December 25).
Orban's letter to Putin
- In a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Orban asked how Moscow would respond if the EU decided to confiscate its frozen financial assets in the West.
- According to him, Moscow responded that if the EU expropriated Russian assets, "a decisive response would follow, using all instruments of international law."
- At the same time, the letter noted that the Russian leadership "will take into account the position of EU member states" on this issue, Orban said.
US’ position
- The US does not support the EU’s plans to confiscate Russian sovereign assets, The Times reported, citing sources.
- According to the newspaper, representatives of US President Donald Trump's administration are privately warning that if Russian assets are confiscated, the EU and the UK will have to "return the money."
- The newspaper pointed out that Washington fears the theft of Russian sovereign assets would lead to a prolonged conflict in Ukraine and deprive the West of tools to influence Moscow.
Russia's position
- Putin noted that the confiscation of Russian assets being discussed in Europe would be an act of theft.
- Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized that Moscow would not leave such actions unanswered.
- Russian Justice Minister Konstantin Chuychenko told TASS that the country's leadership has already been presented with options for responding to the potential seizure of Russian assets by Western countries.
- The EU is trying to undermine Trump's efforts to settle the Ukrainian conflict by encroaching on sovereign Russian assets, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.