EU capitals push to revive frozen Russian assets plan for Ukraine funding
EU heavyweights from the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden urge Brussels to restart the use of frozen Russian state assets to back a Kyiv loan, citing Ukraine's roughly €23 billion defense funding hole. Past efforts to leverage about €210 billion of assets stalled over legal/guarantee concerns, while the EU has committed a €90 billion loan to Ukraine to be disbursed over 18 months, contingent on reforms. Belgium seeks safeguards as the debate returns ahead of a foreign ministers’ gathering.