Kremlin calls EU transfer of frozen-asset profits to Ukraine ‘theft’
publishers 5articles 5first reported 24 Sep, 11:17 UTCdeveloping since 25 Sep · 2 editions
The Kremlin on Thursday condemned the European Union’s transfer of revenue generated by frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, calling the move illegal and a form of “theft.”
The European Commission said in August that the bloc would provide Kyiv with $1.6 billion drawn from interest on cash balances associated with Russian central bank assets frozen by the EU over the war in Ukraine. EU leaders have said Russian assets totaling €210 billion will remain frozen until Moscow pays reparations to Ukraine. If reparations are paid, Ukraine could use the funds to repay loans owed to the EU.
Russia has previously proposed using its frozen assets to finance reconstruction in Russian territory damaged during the war, particularly the Kursk region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected that proposal as “nonsense” and said Kyiv would fight to secure the use of all frozen Russian assets for Ukraine’s postwar recovery.
Separate reporting has highlighted continuing legal questions over confiscating the underlying assets and transferring them to Ukraine, including whether a European Court of Human Rights ruling could provide a route for doing so. Russian intelligence has also alleged that European governments are seeking a supranational mechanism to seize the funds.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 5 articles, 1 with the publisher's own text; 5 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 12 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 5
- Source articles
- 5
- Given to the writer
- 5, 1 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 5
- This version written
- 12 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →