The EU has imposed an indefinite freeze on Russian assets amounting to 210 billion euros.
European Union ambassadors approved a mechanism for the indefinite freezing of Russian assets in Europe, aimed at making their return to Russia impossible. This decision is also aimed at supporting Ukraine. This was announced by the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on the social network X.
The value of the frozen assets amounts to 210 billion euros, and now the decision does not require renewal every six months. The vote concluded with 25 votes in favor, while two countries opposed it. Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that this decision is also a strong signal to Ukraine and can strengthen the country’s positions both on the battlefield and at the negotiating table.
The significance of the adopted decision also lies in the fact that it eliminates the possibility of blocking the continuation of asset freezing by Hungary and Slovakia, which, according to Reuters, could allow countries to return assets to Russia. Furthermore, the indefinite freezing may support Belgium’s backing of the EU’s plan to provide Ukraine with a reparation loan of up to 165 billion euros.
On December 18, a meeting of the European Council is expected, where the details of the reparation loan will be agreed upon and other issues discussed, including EU guarantees for Belgium to protect it from possible financial risks in case of a successful lawsuit by Russia.
| EU countries | Vote |
|---|---|
| Voted “for” | 25 |
| Voted “against” | 2 |
| Total amount of frozen assets | 210 billion euros |
