The European Union and Ukrainian flags fly to Berlayymont, the seat of the EU committee, from the third anniversary of the large -scale invasion to Ukraine through Russia on February 24, 2025 in Brussels, Belgium.
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The return of President Donald Trump to the White House completely changed the position of America on support for Ukraine, which prompted the European nations to consider new options for strengthening military support for Kiev.
Last month, the President of the USA He blamed Ukraine for the beginning of the warIN Called the dictator of the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy – Even when Ukraine could not conduct elections during the war since the Russian invasion in 2022 – and began unilateral talks with Russia in Saudi Arabia, with the terror of Ukrainian officials and European officials who have not been included.
Tensions escalated last week after television explosive clash In the oval office between Trump, US vice president JD Vance and Zelenskyy. Since then, the United States has suspended military support for Ukraine while assessing the situation.
European leaders are I meet to stand behind Ukraine Among the poor US support. One of the mechanisms that Europe has at its disposal to make up for the deficiency of the American foundation Fully transfer frozen Russian resources taking place in the region.
What are the Russian assets and where do they stick?
What can you use these resources for?
During the war, there were many debates about whether these assets can be used to support Ukraine. In June 2024, G7 agreed to spend $ 50 billion to Ukraine, which were supported by profits generated from around EUR 300 billion frozen Russian assets.
Since then, European Member States have refrained from full seizure of such assets due to fears regarding legal and economic consequences.
The last escalation of tensions between the block and the US led the EU to examine more aggressive activities, Bloomberg reported. The idea would be that the International Commission for Claims has not yet been established to demand compensation from Russia, and if they disagree, they fully took over, Bloomberg announced that by citing people familiar with talks.
Who in Europe is for and against the use of these assets to help Ukraine?
Several EU data expressed support for full occupation, including the head of foreign policy Kaja Kallas and the Commissioner for Economics Valdis Dombrovskis.
At the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council at the end of February Kallas stated This work on achieving an asset agreement was “ongoing” and that “ultimately, especially in a situation in which we are now, everyone came to the conclusion that our taxpayers should not pay for it. He should come from a country that destroys Ukraine, which is Russia. “
Also at the end of last month, the British Foreign Minister David Lammy told the British parliament “Europe must act quickly and I think that we should go from freezing assets to take over assets.” Estonia and Poland They also expressed support for the takeover of assets.
IN statement Published at the beginning of this week, after reports about the US withdrawal of military assistance, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia forced Europe to accelerate: “He claims that there are no legal ways to use frozen Russia resources, they are not unfounded. Last week I shared our European partners, offering a clear solution for using frozen resources ..
Nigel Gould-Davies, a senior member of Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute of Strategic Studies (Iiss), said by CNBC by e-mail that “many Central European countries are nice in the matter of occupation, although they are reluctant to speak so publicly in the absence of a common EU position.”
However, several states are fearing, and especially Germany and France noticed as “the main suspension”.
It may change now With ft reporting, both nations are open to discussion Resource classes.
How would these resources be confiscated?
Theoretically, all 27 EU Member States could unanimously agree to the occupation of Russian assets and “authorize Belgium to confiscate assets,” said CNBC Armin Steinbach, a professor of law and economics at Hec Paris.
Another option would be for Belgium to strive for confiscation of assets separately, if the EU sanctions expire without extension, said Steinbach. However, Belgium seems unlikely as it does apparently He warned against legal and economic risk, which is the seizure of the euro area.
Steinbach also commented that it would be “morally convincing, but legally difficult” so that Europe could take over Russian assets, because Europe is limited to undertaking anti -international violations of Russia's law, which must be “temporary” and “reversible”, in accordance with international law.
However, “at the same time Ukraine has a claim for damage against Russia to pay for war injuries. The question is whether the EU can enforce this claim for damage to Ukraine, confiscation of Russian property, “said the professor.
He referred to the “creative proposal”, in which Ukraine transfers a “claim for damage against Russia to G7”, which then enforced this claim to Kiev, “setting out” against Russian assets. Steinbach noticed that “such a transfer has never happened before international law” and that the issue of immunity protection for sovereign assets is also persisted.
Iiss' Gould-Davies noticed that Extensive research conducted by international lawyers He showed that “there is a safe legal path” to attach and that the fears of economic repercussions have been exaggerated.
“When the assets were frozen for the first time – the moment when Russia lost access to them – did not have a negative impact on European or financial stability. There is no reason to think that markets or individual creditor's countries would work if Russia permanently and formally lose these assets, “he said.
What's going on now?
With a conversation about the end of the war and there is no current clarity regarding the potential result, Europe is still considering whether the occupation of Russian assets in order to support Ukraine can allow the purchase of additional weapons, or whether such funds can help rebuild the country.
David Roche, an experienced investor and strategist in the Quantum strategy, said that as part of the US discussion, Russia would demand that assets are reliable and returned to help increase its economy.
“There is no doubt that Putin will want to (they),” said CNBC on February 26, adding that Putin will want to conclude a contract with Trump, which could put pressure on Europe on opaque assets stored on the European land.
Russia also expressed it earlier he would take revenge if his assets were occupied.
Withdrawal of US support and an urgent need to increase defense expenditure “causes Russian occupation of assets even rational and urgent,” he said, asking: “Why not take free money from the aggressor?”