How Europe could Seize Frozen Russian Assets to Fund Ukraine

President Donald Trump’s Return to the White House Has Completely Shifted America’s Stance on Support for Ukraine, Prompting European Nations to CONSIER NENSIDER NEWSCER NEW OPTIONS to Bolster MILTER MILTER MILTER MILTER MILITAR MILITAR SUPPTARTARS

Last Month, The US President Blamed ukraine for starting the war, Called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy A Dictator – even as ukraine has been prevented from holding election officials who was not included,

Tensions Escalated Last Week after A Televised Explosive Clash In the Oval Office Between Trump, US Vice President JD Vance and Zelenskyy. The us has since reported Military support to ukraine while an assessment of the situation is carried out.

European Leaders are Coming togetra to stand behind ukraineAmid the Waning Us Support. One of the mechanisms europe has disposal to make up the shortfall of American backing is to Fully Seize Frozen Russian Assets Held in the region.

There has been much debate over the course of the war on where these assets should be used to support ukraine. In June 2024, The G7 Agreed in Principle to Issue $ 50 Billion in Loans To ukraine that was backed by the profits generated from Around 300 Billion Euros of Frozen Russian Assets.

Since then European Member States Have Refrained From Pursuing Full Seizure of Such Assets Due to Concerns about legal and Economic Repercussions.

Recent escalation in tensions between the bloc and the us has been the eu to explore more aggressive action, Bloomberg reportedThe idea would be for a yet-to-bee estimated International Claims Commission to Demand Reparations from Russia, and if they disagree, to full seze them, bloomberg reporting peeple family family family Talks.

Several Eu Figures Have Expressed Support for Full Seizure, Including the Foreign Policy Chief Kaja kallas And the commissioner for economy Valdis dombrovskis,

At the eu Foreign Affairs Council Meeting at the end of February, Kallas stated That work on Reaching an asset seizure agrement was “ongoing” and that “eventually, especially in the situation where we are right now, we all come to the conclusion Who are paying for this. It should come from the country that destroys ukraine, which is russia. “

Also toward the end of last month, uk foreign minister david lammy told the British parliament that “Europe has to act quickly, and i believe we should move from freezing assets to seizing assets.”Estonia and Poland Have also also expressed support to seize assets.

In a statement Published earlier this week, after reports of the us withdrawing military Are unfounded. Political Decision Must Be Taken on Using Frozen Assets “.

Nigel Gold-Davies, A Senior Fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Stodies (IISS) Told CNBC by Email that, “Many Central European States are Sympatheetic to the Case for the Case Seizure, Thought are reluctant to say So Publicly in the Absence of a Common Eu Position. ”

Yet Several States Are Apprehensive, and He Particularly Noted Germany and France as “The Main Hold-Outs.”

This single now be changing, With the ft reporting both nations are open to discusingAsset seizure.

In theory, all 27 eu member states unanimously agre to seize russian assets and “Mandate belgium to confiscate the assets,” Armin Monan Steinbach, A Jean Monnet Professor of Eu Law and Economics At Heck Paris Told CNBC.

The other option would be for belgium to separately Pursue Asset Confiscation if the EU Sanctions Expire without renewal, Steinbach said. However, belgium seems unlikely to do so, as it has Reportedly Warned of the legal and economic risks that asset seizure poses to the euro zone.

Steinbach also commented that it would be “morally compeling but legally deficult” International Law Violations, which need to be “temporary” and “reveres,” According to International Law.

Yet “at the same time, ukraine has a damage claim against Russia to pay for the injuries of the war. The question is there the eu could enjoy this damage claim for ukraine by coting,” Professor said.

He referred to a “Creative proposal” in which ukraine transfers its “Damage claim against russia to the g7” Wholes then Enforce this Claim for Kyiv by “Setting off” AGIANST Russian Assets. Steinbach noted that “Such a Transfer has taken under international law before” and that is the issue of immunity protection for sovereign assets also personals.

IISS ‘Gield-Davies Noted That Extensive Studies by International Lawyers Demonstrated that “there is a safe legal path” to seizure, and that fears of economy repercussions were overblown.

“When the assets were first frozen – the moment that russia lost access to them – there was no adverse impact on european economic or financial stability. There is no reason to thinking, or individal Creditor States, Would Act If Russia Permanently and Formally Lost these assets, “He said.

With talks to end the war underway, and no current class on the potential outcome, europe is still considering with Weaponry, or Whater Such Funds Cold Help Rebuild The Country.

David Roche, A Veteran Investor and Strategist at Quantum Strategy, Said That as Part of Its Discussions with the US, Russia will demand assets are unfrozen and returned to Help Moost live

“There’s no doubt that Putin will Want (Them) Back,” He Told CNBC on Feb. 26, adding that putin will look to make a deal with trump, who could pressure europe into unfreezing assets stored on European Soil.

Russia also previously expressed it would retaliate should it its assets be seized,

The withdrawal of us support and europe’s urgent need to step up defending “Makes Russian Asset Seizure even Even Rational and Urgent” Gold-Davies Said, ASKING, Asking, “WHY NOT TAKE FREE MONE MONEY MONE MONY MONE MONY FOME Aggressor? “