'This is robbery.' Putin rages over frozen assets, threatens court action in Europe
Photo: Vladimir Putin (kremlin.ru)
During a press conference, Russian leader Vladimir Putin expressed anger over the European Union's plans to provide a reparations loan to Ukraine, warning of potential legal battles on the international stage.
"Theft is supposed to be secret, but here they are trying to do it openly. This is robbery. Why is it so hard to carry out this robbery? The consequences for the robbers could be severe—it's not easy to do," he claimed.
Putin argued that issuing a reparations loan backed by Russian assets would have consequences for the budget of every country involved, increasing national debt.
"In France, for example, the national debt is 120%, and the budget deficit is 6%. These are all reasons why making decisions related to seizing someone else's money is not easy. But there are even heavier consequences for those who try. It's not just a hit to the image, it’s an erosion of trust in the Eurozone," he added.
The Russian president also noted that many countries—not just Russia—store their gold and foreign currency reserves in the Eurozone. He warned that beyond reputational damage, there could be direct losses tied to the fundamental structures of the modern financial order.
"And most importantly, anything stolen will eventually have to be returned. We will protect our interests, primarily in courts. We will try to find jurisdictions independent of political decisions," Putin concluded.
Background
Earlier reports said that the EU summit of leaders in Brussels on December 18-19 approved financial support for Ukraine for 2026-2027.
It was announced overnight that EU leaders agreed to provide Ukraine with €90 billion over the next two years. Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko confirmed that the €90 billion allocated to Ukraine for 2026-2027 will be non-repayable and interest-free.
