"Seizing Russian Assets Would Have a Major Impact on the EU"

Europe - On Friday, the Russian ambassador to Berlin stated that using frozen Russian assets in Europe to fund Ukraine would have "serious consequences" for the EU. This came after the German chancellor and the Belgian prime minister planned to discuss the issue.

In a statement sent to AFP, Russian Ambassador Sergei Netchaïev said: "Any transaction involving Russian sovereign assets without Russia's consent is an act of theft. Obviously, stealing Russian state funds would have far-reaching consequences."

He pointed out that the reputation of the EU in the business world "could be destroyed," and mentioned "endless legal battles" and "a path leading to legal chaos and the collapse of the foundations of the global financial system," with Europe being hit first.

He added: "We believe that Brussels and Berlin understand this."

German Chancellor Merkel will travel to Belgium in the evening of Friday to try to convince Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever that it is reasonable for the European Commission to use frozen Russian assets to support Kyiv.

Ukraine is suffering from a dual blow of military and diplomatic pressure. On one hand, Trump is pressuring the United States to end the war; on the other hand, the United States is suspected of favoring Russia.

The European Commission has proposed a plan to use frozen Russian assets in Europe, but the plan has been opposed by Belgium. Belgium is the headquarters of Euroclear, the clearing bank that holds about 210 billion euros in Russian assets, while the total amount of Russian assets held by the EU is 235 billion euros.

Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, the EU is seeking a mechanism that does not harm the euro or jeopardize European overseas assets. The Russian ambassador to Berlin said that the EU's desire to use these assets indicates that Europeans do not have enough resources to continue supporting Ukraine in the war.

Source: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1850738410262729/

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