Slovakia's Fico opposes using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine's military
Photo: Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Getty Images)
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said the country would not support the EU's plan to use Russian assets to cover Ukraine's military costs, reports Pravda.
The proposal comes from the European Commission, and the US fully backs it. The issue is scheduled for discussion in December.
Fico said he would not support using €140 billion in frozen Russian assets for Ukraine's reconstruction or aid, arguing that spending such a sum on weapons and military costs would be a loss Slovakia could not afford.
Several media outlets also cited another statement from Fico in the same interview. He said that as long as he remains head of government, he will not participate in any legal or financial mechanisms aimed at confiscating frozen Russian assets.
Russian assets
Under the EU plan, the bloc intends to provide Ukraine with a reparations loan of €140 billion. Payments are expected to start in 2026 using frozen Russian assets, and Ukraine would have to repay the loan only if Russia itself pays reparations to Kyiv.
Roksolana Pidlasa, Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on Budget, said this reparations loan could become the main source of support for Ukraine in 2026.
At the same time, according to Euronews, the European Commission has not convinced Belgium to approve the use of Russian assets to finance Ukraine's reconstruction. The €140 billion is stored in the Belgian financial depository Euroclear.
