US to EU: Return frozen Russian assets

According to Isna, this request from the US is against the plans of Brussels to use these assets for the national security of Kyiv.

Politico also wrote that the heads of EU member states want to grant a 140 billion euro “compensation loan” to Kiev using frozen Russian funds as collateral, and this is against the opposition of Belgium, which has repeatedly warned that this plan entails financial and legal risks.

US officials told EU sanctions envoy David Sullivan during his summer trip to Washington that they want frozen Russian assets back after the peace deal.

According to the 28-point peace plan proposed by the US that was published in the media in November, $100 billion of frozen Russian assets will be invested in the US-led Ukraine for the purpose of reconstruction and investment, and Washington will receive 50% of the profits.

The proposal also said the EU would contribute another $100 billion to boost investment, while remaining Russian assets would be placed in a “separate US-Russian system.”

But later, the Bloomberg News site reported that the clause related to lifting the seizure of assets was removed.

The clause became a source of tension after the plan was revealed, and EU officials balked at the possibility that the United States would take a portion of the assets and put the rest in a joint arrangement with Russia, several diplomats told Politico.

However, Russia welcomed America’s actions, but said that while this plan proposed by Washington can be used as a basis for a compromise, some of its clauses need to be clarified.

Belgium, which owns most of Russia’s frozen assets, has opposed the confiscation.

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Provo said on Monday that the EU plan “neither provides the necessary legal certainty nor removes systemic financial risks”, arguing that a “conventional EU loan” would make more sense.

The European Central Bank also refused to back a 140 billion euro loan to Ukraine backed by frozen Russian assets, citing risks for the euro.

Moscow also said that any use of this country’s assets is “theft” and will have consequences.

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