Headlines
Zelenskiy tells Europe: Use frozen assets to end Russia's appetite for war
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on December 17, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on December 17, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Zelenskiy urges the EU to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, highlighting the need for continued ally support against Russia's war efforts.
KYIV, Dec 17 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on Ukraine's allies on Wednesday to secure support for Kyiv and show Russia that continuing its war is "pointless," ahead of a crucial European Union summit on Moscow's frozen assets.
"The outcome of these meetings – the outcome for Europe – must be such that Russia feels that its desire to continue fighting next year will be pointless, because Ukraine will have support," Zelenskiy said in his evening address.
He called on Ukraine's partners to take a decision on using the nearly $250 billion of frozen Russian sovereign assets in the European Union, most of it held in Belgium's Euroclear, to support a loan for Ukraine.
EU governments agreed last week to freeze the assets for as long as needed instead of voting every six months on extending this status. Some European leaders have opposed the plan as they fear it opens them up to legal risk.
"We need all our partners to have the courage to see the truth, acknowledge the truth and act accordingly," Zelenskiy said. He added that Russia was showing with its actions it intended to continue fighting next year.
"Allies in the United States often say that Russia seems to want to end the war. But Russia is sending completely different rhetoric and signals, including official orders to its army."
In Moscow on Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin said Russia would take more land in Ukraine by force if Kyiv and European politicians whom he cast as "young pigs" did not engage over U.S. proposals for a peace settlement.
(Reporting by Yuliia Dysa; writing by Max Hunder; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Frozen assets are financial assets that have been restricted from being accessed or transferred, often due to legal or regulatory actions. In the context of international relations, they may be used as a tool to apply pressure on a country.
A loan is a sum of money borrowed from a lender that is expected to be paid back with interest over a specified period. Loans can be used for various purposes, including purchasing property or funding business operations.
International financial support refers to financial assistance provided by one country or organization to another, often to help with economic recovery, development projects, or humanitarian aid.
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