Russia promises severe retaliation if EU transfer assets to Ukraine
(MENAFN) Russia has warned that it will impose “very harsh retaliatory measures” if the European Union goes ahead with plans to transfer frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, according to official statements from Moscow.
“European officials are trying to brazenly pocket Russian funds – the more, they believe, the better off they will be,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told reporters, adding, “However, the fraudulent lending scheme they are promoting (to Kyiv) has provoked an extremely muted reaction in many European capitals. The desire for fraud still gives way to fear of legal consequences and retaliatory measures. I repeat, these measures will be very tough.”
The remarks came after Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever urged the EU to provide full legal guarantees before any expropriation of Russian assets, a position that reportedly caused friction among European leaders at a recent informal summit in Copenhagen. Belgian officials defended De Wever, saying he acted to “protect national interests.”
Most of Russia’s sovereign assets frozen in Europe—exceeding $216 billion—are currently held on the Euroclear financial platform in Belgium. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen previously stated that the EU does not plan to confiscate these assets outright but aims to use their proceeds to fund loans to Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has also warned that any seizure of Russian reserves by Western countries would “destroy the global financial and economic order” and intensify “economic separatism.” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov added that Moscow would “definitely respond” to what he termed theft and would pursue legal action against those responsible.
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