Fri Dec 12 17:23:19 UTC 2025: ## EU Poised to Indefinitely Freeze Russian Assets to Aid Ukraine

Brussels – December 12, 2025 – The European Union is on track to indefinitely freeze €210 billion ($246 billion) in Russian central bank assets held within Europe, removing a significant hurdle to utilizing the funds to support Ukraine’s defense against Russia. EU officials aim to finalize the agreement by 4:00 PM GMT today.

This move, intended to provide long-term financial support to Ukraine, overrides previous requirements for a six-month renewal vote on the asset freeze. This eliminates the potential for dissenting member states like Hungary and Slovakia to block the extension and force the return of the assets to Russia.

The indefinite freeze is seen as crucial to securing Belgium’s support for a plan to leverage the frozen assets into a €165 billion loan for Ukraine, covering its military and civilian budget needs for 2026 and 2027. This loan would be repaid by Ukraine only upon Russia paying war reparations, effectively functioning as an advance on future payments.

EU leaders are scheduled to meet on December 18th to finalize the loan details and resolve remaining concerns, including guarantees for Belgium against potential legal challenges from Moscow. Germany has reportedly pledged €50 billion in guarantees towards the total amount.

While Danish Finance Minister Stephanie Lose acknowledged that “some worries” persist, she expressed hope for a positive decision at the European Council next week. European Commissioner for Economy Valdis Dombrovskis assured that “solid guarantees” are being developed to address Belgium’s concerns.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban voiced strong opposition, claiming the EU’s move would cause “irreparable damage” to the bloc and pledging to “restore a lawful state of affairs.”

Russia’s central bank has denounced the EU’s plans as illegal and reserved the right to protect its interests. The bank has also initiated legal action against Euroclear, a Brussels-based central securities depository holding €185 billion of the frozen assets, alleging detrimental actions affecting its control over its funds.

EU diplomats emphasize the importance of maintaining European control over the frozen assets to ensure leverage in future peace negotiations and prevent their potential misuse by either Russia or the United States.

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