The European Union wants to use frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine. However, French President Emmanuel Macron is against it, writes focus.de.
The EU is discussing how frozen Russian assets could be used to provide financial support to Ukraine. The European Commission, led by Ursula von der Leyen, has proposed using the funds to finance loans to Ukraine. However, French President Emmanuel Macron has already clearly stated that he is against the direct confiscation of frozen assets.
He thus joined Belgium's position. “The use of frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine will never happen“, Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever said earlier. “I want to be absolutely clear on this issue. "Take Putin's money and leave the risks to us? That won't happen," he said.
The French leader has stressed that international law must be respected. "When assets are frozen, international law must be respected," Macron said on the sidelines of the EU summit in Copenhagen.
A large part of the frozen Russian assets are held in Belgium. According to RBC-Ukraine, Euroclear Bank in Brussels holds 183 billion euros of the total 300 billion euros blocked in Europe.
The European Commission has proposed using these assets for a reparations loan for Ukraine. The $300 billion loan could be used to finance defense spending and cover the budget deficit. It would only be repaid after Russia pays compensation. Despite the blockade by Belgium and France, the EU is looking for ways to provide financial support to Ukraine.
Belgian Prime Minister Wever said he had asked other European Union leaders to provide guarantees that they would share the risk if frozen Russian assets held in his country were used to finance loans to Ukraine.