government US They apply pressure European Union (European Union) For the block to abandon usage plans Frozen Russian assets To secure a huge loan aimed at rebuilding Ukraineaccording to anonymous sources.
US officials argued so to member states Assets are needed to help secure a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow European diplomats stated that it should not be used to prolong the war.
The European Union put forward a proposal this week to use fixed assets as collateral 90 billion euros To cover Ukraine’s economic and military needs during the next two years. There are about 210 billion euros of Russian assets frozen on the territory of the European Union, and more of these assets could be used from 2028.
The discussions come at a critical time for Ukraine, as the United States puts pressure on Kiev to agree to a lopsided peace deal with Russia. Ukraine faces the risk of running out of funds early next year, and the US President’s government, Donald TrumpMost US aid was cut, putting the burden on Europe.
The EU also needs to deal with opposition to the plan within the bloc from several countries, including Belgium, where most of the money is deposited. The European Union is seeking approval for its proposal to use the assets at a meeting of the bloc’s leaders later this month.
Washington is also eyeing Russian assets as part of its proposals to facilitate peace talks with Moscow, and has suggested they could be used to finance US-led investments after the war.
Some sources said the 28-point US peace plan has been modified since it emerged last month, but the origins remain a major point of contention, along with the status of Ukrainian territory and the provision of strong security guarantees for Kiev.
European leaders stressed that how the assets are used is a European issue, as most of the frozen funds are deposited in Europe.
“There is no possibility of leaving the money we have raised to the United States,” he said. German Prime Minister Friedrich MerzThis Thursday.
“The American government knows this, and this is also the negotiating position of the German government.”Merz said, adding that this also represents a consensus at the European level.
The German President is in Brussels for talks with the Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Weverand President of the European Commission, Ursula von der LeyenIn an attempt to overcome Belgian resistance to the EU plan.
Merz, who has been a strong supporter of using Russian resources to help Ukraine, told reporters that he took the Belgian prime minister’s concerns “seriously” and would try to address them at Friday’s meeting.
“I don’t want to convince you, I want to convince you“If we go down this path, we will do so to help Ukraine, perhaps over the next two or three years,” he said at a press conference Thursday evening in Berlin, after talks with German regional leaders.
the Belgium It says it has not yet received sufficient guarantees that it will not be left alone to bear any future expenses if Moscow wins future asset recovery claims. It also claims that using the frozen funds would expose Europe and its companies to Russian retaliation.
The Belgian national budget has received hundreds of millions of euros in tax revenue from the frozen funds, although it says the money is used to provide aid to Ukraine.
The European Union proposed supporting the loan using the bloc’s budget or through bilateral guarantees from member states. The assets will remain frozen and Kiev will only have to repay the loan if Russia agrees to finance the country’s reconstruction and compensate it for war damage.
In addition to Belgium Hungary He opposes the plans and Slovakia She stated that she would not support proposals that provide military support to Ukraine. Approval will only require a qualified majority of member states.
The Authority also considered the possibility of issuing joint debt if it was unable to reach an agreement on the use of fixed assets. However, member states, including Germany, reject this idea, and the fact that it requires unanimity makes it unlikely.