German Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke by phone with US President Donald Trump, informing him of the initiative to use frozen Russian assets to support the Ukrainian armed forces.
“They discussed the situation in Ukraine. The German Chancellor announced an initiative to use frozen Russian assets to support the Ukrainian armed forces“, German cabinet spokesman Stefan Cornelius told reporters. He added that Trump and Merz agreed to continue working together to quickly end the conflict in Ukraine.
The European Union is discussing the possibility of expropriating 210 billion euros in frozen Russian assets to support Kiev; leaders have already instructed the European Commission to thoroughly investigate the risks of such a move.
Merz previously said that Berlin supports a loan to Ukraine using Russian assets. Belgium, home to the Euroclear platform, where up to 95% of assets are deposited, is categorically opposed to this. Brussels fears the financial risks associated not only with a decrease in confidence in the European currency, but also with the possible seizure of Belgian assets around the world based on claims initiated by Russia for compensation for illegally seized funds.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously said that the global financial and economic order will be destroyed and economic separatism will only grow stronger "if the West steals" Russia's frozen reserves. The Russian leader's press secretary Dmitry Peskov noted that Moscow will certainly "revenge the theft" of its assets in Europe. He stressed that the Kremlin intends to prosecute those involved in this scheme.