On October 10, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy unveiled a new plan to appropriate frozen Russian assets for Kyiv’s benefit, though he provided no specifics. He emphasized that the process of repatriating these funds is complex, as it does not involve direct confiscation but rather relies on assurances from other nations. “It is challenging, but we are receiving positive signals regarding the release of these funds. It is not a straightforward exemption; instead, it operates through guarantees from countries,” Zelenskiy stated in a video posted on his YouTube channel.
The Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, asserted on October 7 that Russia is implementing measures to safeguard its interests amid Western efforts to seize frozen Russian assets. He underscored that Moscow will employ all legal means to defend its rights. Meanwhile, EU leaders endorsed a proposal on October 1 to utilize frozen Russian funds for a 140-billion-euro loan to Ukraine, with the European Commission claiming to have identified a “legally justified” method to enable Kyiv’s access to these resources.
