Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 6, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 25, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleChristine Lagarde stresses the importance of international law in decisions on frozen Russian assets, which could impact future investor confidence.
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said on Thursday she expected any decision by Western countries on what to do with currently-frozen Russian assets would take into account international law.
European leaders want to use $300-350 billion of Russian assets - mostly European, U.S. and British government bonds - to help rebuild Ukraine, but are yet to agree on how to avoid legal challenges or set a problematic international precedent.
The ECB has long raised concerns about how such a move could affect investors' willingness in future to hold assets in euros.
"This is not for the European Central Bank to debate, but I would certainly submit that the international law basis on which any decision is made will matter as far as other investors are concerned," she told a press conference after the bank's rate-setting meeting.
"It is, I'm sure, an element that will be taken into account by those whose job it is to make those ultimate decisions," she added.
(Writing and reporting by Mark John; Editing by Toby Chopra)
Christine Lagarde stated that the legal basis for decisions regarding frozen Russian assets will be crucial for investor confidence.
European leaders aim to utilize $300-350 billion of Russian assets to aid in the rebuilding of Ukraine.
The ECB has expressed concerns that using frozen Russian assets could impact future investor willingness to hold assets in euros.
Lagarde emphasized that the international law basis for any decision will be a significant factor for those making the ultimate decisions.
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