Foreign Affairs

Eugene

(66,704 posts) Fri Dec 12, 2025, 06:05 PM Friday

EU backs indefinite freeze on Russia's frozen cash ahead of loan plan for Ukraine

Source: BBC

EU backs indefinite freeze on Russia's frozen cash ahead of loan plan for Ukraine

12 December 2025

Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

European Union governments have agreed to immobilise indefinitely Russian assets of up to €210bn (£185bn) that have been frozen in the EU since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Most of Moscow's cash is held in Belgian bank Euroclear, and European leaders are hoping to agree a deal at next week's crunch EU summit that would use the money for a loan to help Kyiv fund its military and economy.

After almost four years of Russia's full-scale war Ukraine is running out of cash, and needs an estimated €135.7bn (£119bn; $159bn) over the next two years.

Europe aims to provide two-thirds of that, but Russian officials accuse the EU of theft.

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Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c98nnd01g91o

Alternate link: https://archive.ph/8qD0A

2 replies

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EU backs indefinite freeze on Russia's frozen cash ahead of loan plan for Ukraine (Original Post) Eugene Friday OP

The EU just needs to give the money to Ukraine VMA131Marine Friday #1

Exactly. All these other loan schemes smell fishy Bluetus Saturday #2

VMA131Marine

(5,139 posts)

1. The EU just needs to give the money to Ukraine

Reply to Eugene (Original post)

Fri Dec 12, 2025, 06:07 PM

Friday

as compensation for the destruction caused by Russian attacks.

Bluetus

(2,117 posts)

2. Exactly. All these other loan schemes smell fishy

Reply to VMA131Marine (Reply #1)

Sat Dec 13, 2025, 11:11 PM

Saturday

But maybe they need to do that to make it appear legal. I assume the term "immobilize" has some special meaning, as opposed to "impound". Maybe their legal position will be that it is still technically Russia's money, but they are "immobilizing" the accounts and to prevent Russia from accessing them. They won't give the money directly to Ukraine because it will still officially be in the Russian account, but they will give Ukraine full use of the money through loans. And when the war ends, if Ukraine isn't able to pay back those loans, well, Vlad, you lose.

It is a double whammy. Lot only does Russia lose the money, but Ukraine gets badly needed funding. $300 billion can buy a lot of long-range missiles to continue to wreck the Russian economy.

And actually it is a triple whammy because Trump tried to bully the EU into giving that money back to Putin. Some much winning Trump is doing these days.

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