Media reported on the EU's study of the consequences of Russian asset confiscation for Ukraine

The European Union (EU) is assessing the legal and financial consequences of confiscating the assets of the Russian Central Bank (CB) to help Ukraine. This was reported by the Bloomberg news agency on December 17, citing informed sources.

"The EU is assessing the legal and financial implications of the confiscation of assets of the Russian Central Bank under sanctions for the use of Ukraine," - stated in the material.

It is noted that some countries are trying to renew discussions "on whether to more fully utilize frozen Russian assets". At the same time, a number of states, including Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg, are concerned about the idea of confiscation.

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Earlier, on December 14, the German Finance Ministry said that the German authorities froze about €3.5 billion of Russian assets in accordance with the EU sanctions regime. It is noted that the assets include frozen funds and economic resources of listed persons or organizations, as well as foreign assets of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, placed in countries that are not subject to a ban on transactions.

Before that, on December 11, the European Union's (EU) new head of diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, said she doubted the balance of Russian assets that had been frozen by the West.

At the same time, The New York Times reported that US President-elect Donald Trump may unfreeze blocked Russian assets, as well as reduce aid to Ukraine. At the same time, it is specified that the lifting of sanctions against Russia will not affect the European part of the approved loan of $20 billion.

According to the latest data, since February 2022, the G7 countries, the EU and Australia froze €260 billion of assets of the Central Bank. Back in February, Liv Mostri, head of Euroclear's international platform in Belgium, noted that the transfer of proceeds from Russia's assets as aid to Ukraine was very close to indirect confiscation, which could have exactly the same impact on markets as a direct seizure.

Western countries have tightened sanctions pressure on Russia in connection with the special operation to protect Donbass. The decision to launch it was announced on February 24, 2022, after the aggravation of the situation in the region. Soon the EU approved the decision to freeze the assets of the Russian Central Bank.