German Chancellor Friedrich Merz today called on the European Union to use frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine in its war against Russia, Agence France-Presse reports. This came just before a summit of European leaders in Brussels, where the issue will be discussed tomorrow, BTA reports.
"The pressure on Putin must be increased to force him to negotiate seriously. "For this we need a decision from the heads of state and government of the member states," Merz told the Bundestag before leaving for Brussels.
The German parliament today adopted new legislative measures to allocate 50 billion euros to modernize the German armed forces in response to the Russian threat, the Defense Ministry reported.
"The aim is both to help Ukraine and to send a clear signal to Russia that we will use the available funds to end the war as quickly as possible," the Chancellor added.
EU heads of state and prime ministers are discussing financing for Ukraine for the next two years. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is backing a plan to lend Kiev 90 billion euros by using frozen Russian assets. However, the initiative is facing strong resistance from Belgium, where most of the assets are stored, due to concerns about possible retaliation by Russia or disproportionate consequences for the country.