At an EU summit, leaders reached only a minimal compromise after lengthy talks on using frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine. The European Commission is tasked with examining support options, while the assets remain frozen until Russia compensates for war damages. Belgium voiced legal concerns that slowed progress.
The EU summit concluded with a declaration in which the 27 heads of state and government instructed the European Commission to examine options for financial support to Ukraine. Russian assets are to remain frozen until Russia "compensates for the damages caused by its war." EU diplomats see room for considering their use, but the decision fell far short of initial plans for a concrete, legally secure implementation.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had proposed using around 140 billion euros in frozen Russian central bank funds in Belgium for loans to Ukraine. Russia would regain access only after paying reparations, with EU states initially liable. Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever, however, warned of legal risks, including financial burdens from potential Russian countermeasures. Other states shared these concerns in part, necessitating the compromise.
The Ukraine section of the declaration was supported by 26 member states; Hungary's Viktor Orbán, arriving late, did not participate. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who joined in the morning, urged making Russia pay for support. "Anyone delaying the decision on using Russian assets 'not only limits our defense but also slows the EU's own progress'", he wrote on X. He still welcomed the commitment to continued support through 2027 as an "important unanimous decision".
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) advocated for using the funds but acknowledged Belgian objections. Matthias Schepp of the German-Russian Foreign Trade Chamber warned: "Germany has invested in Russia like no other country. It therefore has the most to lose [...]" from the plan, with over 100 billion euros in assets at risk.
Additionally, leaders endorsed a Commission proposal for efficient drone defense and air defense, responding to Russian airspace violations. On the summit day, a Russian SU-30 fighter jet and IL-78 tanker intruded into Lithuanian airspace for 18 seconds; Spanish Eurofighters responded.