The European Council will consider the issue of transferring frozen Russian assets to Ukraine only in December of this year. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced this, noting that discussions among EU leaders are still ongoing, while Belgium and Luxembourg remain unconvinced of the necessity of such a move.
Source: OBOZREVATEL
According to Tusk, the December meeting of the European Council will serve as the final deadline for making a decision — whether to approve the transfer of funds or reject it. He stressed that delaying the process is dangerous, as Ukraine cannot win the war or defend itself from Russia without significant financial support.
The Polish prime minister explained that Belgium’s caution stems from the fact that most of the Russian Central Bank’s assets are held there, and the country fears bearing full legal responsibility for their transfer. Poland, he said, is proposing the creation of a mechanism for shared pan-European responsibility to mitigate such risks.
Tusk also pointed out that Hungary traditionally opposes initiatives related to Ukraine: “As always, Viktor Orbán is against it — as he is against every decision concerning support for Ukraine.”
He added that Belgium and Luxembourg have not yet given their final approval, but there has been some progress in the talks, and there is still a chance for a positive outcome.
The Polish prime minister emphasized that using the frozen assets of the aggressor state to finance Ukraine’s defense and reconstruction would be a fair and necessary step for all of Europe.