Merz says frozen Russian assets must stay in Europe amid reported US proposal
European delegates rejected the plan, which would place part of about €260 billion in frozen Russian assets under U.S. control for peace talks.
- On Wednesday, The United States proposed transferring a portion of approximately €260 billion in frozen Russian assets to a Washington-managed financial vehicle to help restart peace negotiations in Ukraine.
- Western allies froze the assets in 2022 following President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, with most funds currently held within the European Union.
- During meetings in Miami last week, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner presented the plan, but four people briefed on the discussions confirmed European delegates rejected the proposal.
- Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated Moscow would "make every possible effort to achieve the return of stolen assets," indicating potential for future legal proceedings.
- Last month, Witkoff reported "substantive progress" toward peace, including a "no-shoot policy," though President Donald Trump's recent energy ceasefire claim contradicted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's reports of ongoing strikes.
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Merz says frozen Russian assets must stay in Europe amid reported US proposal
Billions of euros' worth of Russian assets frozen in Europe after the invasion of Ukraine should stay under the region's control, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday, after a report that the United States may seek supervision over some.
According to a report, the US has proposed to the Europeans to release Russian assets. Federal Chancellor Merz gives a clear rejection to the request before the start of the EU summit.
The US-Russian agreement on diesel fuel and the interruption of the sharing of US intelligence with Kiev are worrying signals that will revive the debate on the EUR 210 billion of the Central Bank of Russia blocked on European soil. Funds that Brussels could redirect to finance the Ukrainian resistance.
FT: U.S. proposed unfreezing some Russian assets and placing them under Washington’s control; Europe rejected the plan
The United States has proposed that European countries unfreeze part of the Russian assets frozen since the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine and hand them over to a structure controlled by Washington, four sources told the Financial Times.
The United States has proposed that European countries release some Russian assets that were frozen after Russia's war in Ukraine began, The Financial Times (FT) reported, citing four people familiar with the situation, who said the move was a move aimed at restarting peace talks with Russia.
The United States has offered European countries to thaw some of Russia's state assets frozen after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and transfer the funds to a fund overseen by Washington to revive stalled peace talks, according to the Financial Times, citing four informed sources.
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