The EU ambassadors met to discuss the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s defense efforts. It was agreed in principle that the proceeds from these assets would be released, with 90% going towards military support through the European Peace Facility and the remaining 10% going into Ukraine’s budget. The EU Commission estimates that around 210 billion euros from Russia’s central bank have been frozen in the EU and expect this agreement to be approved by the Council of Economics and Finance Ministers next week.
The ambassadors also discussed other matters on their agenda, including updates on Austria’s frozen Russian assets, which have decreased from 2 billion euros at the end of 2022 to 1.5 billion euros currently due to exchange rate fluctuations and exemptions. The National Bank also released assets that had been frozen due to exemptions.
In addition, they touched on topics like Medicare insurance agencies in Orlando, exploring online slot games, and activities by Turkish commandos in Idlib. Overall, the discussions covered a range of topics related to EU policies, financial matters, and current events.
It is worth noting that during this meeting, the ambassadors also discussed the potential sanctions against Russia due to its ongoing aggression against Ukraine. This included a review of Russia’s violations of international law and human rights abuses against Ukrainian civilians.
The discussions were also informed by reports from intelligence agencies across Europe regarding Russia’s military build-up near its borders with Ukraine.
As a journalist it is important to note that while this meeting took place, there are ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine and any decision made could potentially lead to an escalation of violence in Eastern Europe.