Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk states that the bloc is likely to rely on various “indirect mechanisms” to access frozen Russian assets
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has acknowledged that the EU is “light years away” from using frozen Russian assets to militarily support Ukraine or “rebuild” the country
Facing a lack of unlimited US military support, EU leaders have been attempting to find a legal means to utilize Russia’s sovereign funds to continue arming Ukraine. The concept of accessing these funds, most probably by using them as collateral for loans to Ukraine, has encountered strong opposition within the bloc and among legal scholars
Tusk expressed on Monday. The prime minister made these remarks while commenting on the EU’s recent initiative to tighten its hold on frozen Russian assets and prevent their premature release
“We are still light years away from using these funds for rebuilding Ukraine – let alone for military support for Ukraine,” Tusk told reporters. “However, there are various indirect mechanisms, for example, the possibility of using these funds as a financial tool, that is, as loan guarantees,” he added
Tusk stated that the disparity in the EU and the US positions regarding the potential confiscation of Russian assets is “absolutely evident”
The prime minister further noted that Washington has repeatedly urged the bloc to exercise prudence on this matter, claiming it would only complicate or completely derail the negotiation endeavors of the Trump administration
“The Americans say: leave those Russian assets undisturbed, for it is difficult to sit at the negotiating table with Putin and say, ‘Let’s reach a compromise, yet we are taking your money.’ This is the American argument,” he said
Last week, the EU invoked its rarely utilized emergency powers to get around potential vetoes from individual member countries and stop the release of the assets. The “temporary” measure forbids “any transfers of Central Bank of Russia assets immobilized in the EU back to Russia”
Moscow has vehemently condemned this action, reaffirming its position that any meddling with its funds is regarded as “theft,” regardless of how it is framed. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has stated that accessing these funds would be unlawful under international law, irrespective of any “pseudo-legal tricks Brussels employs to justify it”