Netherlands supports use of frozen Russian assets, but there are financial risks - PM Schoof

The Netherlands supports the use of frozen Russian assets to provide a loan to Ukraine, but there are financial and legal risks. This was stated by Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof during a press conference with the President of Ukraine in Kyiv, reports UNN.

Details

Regarding frozen assets. We had a conversation at the European Council last Thursday and (European Commission President - ed.) Ursula von der Leyen proposed, the German Chancellor made a statement on this matter. We in the Netherlands have very strong support and determination to use these frozen assets, but there are financial and legal risks associated with such a decision.

He noted that the risks need to be distributed, and then they will be able to act quickly in this direction.

The Belgian Prime Minister said that this is a risk not only for Belgium, for the EU, for the G-7. We need to distribute these risks and thus "take Belgium off the hook" and be able to act very quickly in this direction.

Addition

European partners are ready to provide Ukraine with an interest-free loan of almost 140 billion euros. The loan will be repaid only after Russia compensates for the damage caused to Ukraine as a result of the war.

As Politico wrote, Brussels has gained an influential ally in the controversial initiative to transfer billions of euros of frozen Russian state assets to Ukraine.

A senior German official told the publication that Berlin is open to "new, legally sound" plans to use 172 billion euros of frozen Russian funds to support Ukraine's war effort, referring to the European Commission's idea.

On October 6, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the issue of using Russian frozen assets is on the table, and Ukraine is approaching its resolution. The skepticism of some partners is decreasing.