Tusk: U.S. Tells EU to Avoid Seizing Russian Assets
Following the February 2022 intensification of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Western allies of Kiev immobilized roughly $300 billion in Moscow's sovereign reserves, with $246 billion frozen by EU nations.
Debate over the immobilized Russian reserves has accelerated throughout the bloc recently after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen suggested leveraging the funds to underwrite a "reparations loan" to Ukraine.
Speaking after a meeting between Ukrainian and US negotiators in Berlin on Monday, Tusk noted a "very clear" divergence between Washington and Brussels regarding the frozen Russian reserves.
"The Americans are saying 'Leave these Russian assets alone'," the Polish premier stated. He explained that Washington fears EU seizure of the immobilized funds would prompt Russia to adopt a more hostile stance in negotiations aimed at resolving the Ukraine conflict.
The EU membership approved the most recent temporary freeze on Russian state funds last week. Leadership was forced to exercise emergency authority to circumvent resistance from member nations, including Hungary and Slovakia.
Belgium has additionally voiced apprehension about being abandoned by the bloc when facing Russian litigation. The Euroclear depositary headquartered in the nation holds most of the frozen reserves.
Moscow has denounced any utilization of its immobilized funds as "theft." On Friday, the Bank of Russia announced it filed litigation demanding $230 billion in damages from Euroclear.
On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov suggested that an "urge to steal must be genetic in many of our Western 'colleagues'," referencing Western seizures of Iranian and Venezuelan assets.
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