EU transfers 1.5 billion euros from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine

27 comments

1. When does the US get a refund?

2. There is [much more left to transfer, to the tune of 300 billion](https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/what-where-are-russias-300-billion-reserves-frozen-west-2023-12-28/). Of course, not all of that is liquid, but still: more can be transferred directly into Ukraine to punish Russia further for its invasion.

3. 298.5 to go.

   Not all of it is liquid.

   Still a much more can be transferred.

4. Thank you, Благодаря, Hvala, Děkuji, Tak, Dank u, Aitäh, Kiitos, Merci, Danke, Ευχαριστώ, Köszönöm, Go raibh maith agat, Grazie, Paldies, Ačiū, Grazzi, Dziękuję, Obrigado/Obrigada, Mulțumesc, Ďakujem, Hvala, Gracias, Tack

5. This is a grave mistake by the western powers, these kinds of unlawful seizures and theft of national assets undermines faith in the western economic system… I’ve no doubt that we’ll start to see unaligned powers, especially in the Global South, start to disinvest from European funds and rely less on the dollar and euro.

   God I wish my country was aligned with China and in BRICS instead of the USA and NATO…

6. $300B would have finished the war and saved the world a whole lotta trouble

7. The best response to this

   [https://www.reddit.com/r/2westerneurope4u/comments/1ecj97x/at_this_point_i_think_pierre_only_brought_the/](https://www.reddit.com/r/2westerneurope4u/comments/1ecj97x/at_this_point_i_think_pierre_only_brought_the/)

   Let’s transfer the rest now.

8. Is that even legal ?

9. A lot of newly created Reddit accounts are about to swarm this post.

10. Great work, EU! Now onto transferring what else we can.

11. Russian here.

    You can see how careful the EU is tip-toeing around this issue. 1.5 billion is the proceed from Russian assets (ie interest earned on them), not the assets themselves, the assets remain untouched.
    And for good reason: stealing other country’s money would likely spell the end of EUR as an international currency used by counties to store their assets.

12. >EU headquarters said that 90% of the money would be put into a special fund known as the European Peace Facility that many EU countries already use to get reimbursed for arms and ammunition they send to Ukraine.

    >The other 10% would be put into the EU budget. The programs that this money funds would help to bolster Ukraine’s defense industry or to help with reconstruction, should some countries object to their share being used for military purposes.

    It’s a misleading title. The money will be used to send weapons to Ukraine as well as to buy weapons from Ukraine’s defense industry.

    EDIT: Also it’s interest earned from the frozen assets that is used.

13. Transfer the rest, Russia is an enemy of Europe, of democracy and has forfeited this money

14. ORBAN: “Whaaaaat noooooooo! What about meeeeee!!!! Nooooo… BLOCK UKRAINE! I want oil, Russian Oil! Money. Noooooooo”

15. I like how the comments become more and more.. interesting, I hope there are bots here and there and not real people

16. Hahaha I love seeing the Russians get owned. Terrorist bastards. They should send ALL the frozen assets to Ukraine!

17. Somewhat ironic that money stolen from the Russia people via Oligarchs is now being used to fund the destruction of the Russia people. Russia is a truly tragic country

18. They going to audit it?

19. Choke on that Orban!

20. That is too low… if the 50 billions should be diluted during the course of 3 years as they said that’s still not enough… 🤷‍♂️

21. This is the way!

22. that’s a good start

23. So the EU is now a thief?

    I thought the EU wanted to leave the imperialism habits behind.

    Old habits die hard…

    We, the european people, should fight those who promote wars and not embrace them.

24. It’s a start. I hope ALL the russian money and assets are soon used to supply the Ukrainian forces and to rebuild the nation. Russia will pay for decades to rebuild the damage they’ve caused.

25. UE is stealing money. US cannot be trusted any more. Ukraine is NOT and must NOT become our problem. F*** Ukraine. They are just wasting our money and due to them our good life is going out. Nuke Kiev and let’s be done with it.

    UE could have at least took the money for us, the EU citizens and use them for own benefit, not for f*** Ukraine.

26. Just to clarify in case it’s not obvious from the title – They are transferring the “proceeds from Russian assets”. I.e. Not the assets themselves but proceeds or interest accumulating from the assets while they’ve been frozen.

27. wont be satisfied until russia is ruined financially forever