US opposes seizure of Russian assets in Europe - The Times
Photo: USA (Getty Images)
The issue of frozen Russian assets has once again become a focal point of international disagreement, with the approaches of the United States and the European Union diverging noticeably, according to a report by The Times, a British newspaper.
US position on confiscating Russian assets
The United States does not support European Union initiatives that envisage the confiscation of Russia’s sovereign assets.
According to the newspaper, representatives of the US administration have privately warned European partners about the potential consequences of such steps. Washington has reportedly indicated that if the funds are seized, the EU and the UK could ultimately be required to compensate for the amounts taken.
Warnings to Europe and UK
Sources cited by the paper said European countries would eventually have to return the money, stressing that the issue of Russian assets features prominently in discussions about possible parameters of a peace settlement. This approach, they suggested, effectively limits Ukraine’s ability to offset the consequences of the war at Russia’s expense.
The report adds that the matter is included among the key elements of Donald Trump’s peace plan and remains under constant review by negotiating teams.
Washington's concerns
The publication notes that the US fears negative repercussions from confiscating Russia’s sovereign assets. American officials reportedly believe such a move could prolong the conflict while depriving the West of one of its few remaining levers of pressure on Moscow.
Sources say keeping the assets frozen, rather than confiscating them, is seen as a more flexible tool of influence in future negotiations.
A White House representative recently denied a Bloomberg report claiming the US was preparing sanctions against Russia’s energy sector, saying the information about potential restrictions in the event of Vladimir Putin rejecting a peace deal was inaccurate.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has again said that efforts to reach an agreement to end the war in Ukraine are, in his view, in their final stage. He also praised the work of his special envoy Steve Witkoff, describing him as an effective and results-oriented negotiator.
