Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned the idea of using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine aid, labeling it ‘plunder’ and warning EU leaders that the fallout could be severe.
Putin Criticizes Frozen Asset Plan
Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced the proposal to use frozen Russian assets to finance aid for Ukraine, calling the measure “plunder”. He said EU politicians ultimately rejected the idea after fearing that the repercussions for the “robbers” could be truly harsh.
Putin Threatens Legal Action
Putin warned that deciding to use the frozen assets would erode trust in the eurozone and set a precedent that could later be used against other countries or groups of states. He added that the West would have to return all frozen assets, that payment would eventually be made, and that the matter would be brought to an independent jurisdiction outside political context.
EU Grants Ukraine €90 Billion Loan
On Thursday night into Friday (18–19 December) at the EU summit in Brussels, leaders approved a €90 billion loan for Ukraine covering two years. While the idea of funding the loan with frozen assets was discussed, no agreement was reached. The loan will be financed through the EU’s common debt guaranteed by the European budget. Since Russia’s full‑scale invasion in February 2022, about €200 billion of Russian assets have been frozen.