U.S. Endorses EU Move to Harness Russian Assets for Ukraine's Aid

The United States is firmly backing the European Union's proposal to utilize frozen Russian assets as a measure to aid Ukraine and pressure Russia into ending the ongoing conflict. A U.S. source conveyed this endorsement to Reuters, indicating strong alignment between Western powers on the strategy.

The European Commission's plan entails the potential use of up to 185 billion euros, part of the larger 210 billion euros in Russian assets frozen across Europe, without directly confiscating them. This strategic move aims to escalate economic pressure on Moscow. However, the proposal has encountered pushback from Belgium, home to the majority of these assets.

Complicating matters, Germany has hypothesized that recent drone activity over Belgian sites might be a veiled warning from Russia regarding its assets. Russia denies these claims but warns of severe repercussions if its assets are expropriated. The situation aligns with broader U.S. sanctions against Russian oil giants, emphasizing Washington's commitment to constraining Russia economically.