Call transcript shows EU leaders tell Zelensky that they, not US, will decide on frozen Russian assets

[Amaryllis]

(The Kyiv Independent is a much better source of news on Ukraine than US media.)

https://kyivindependent.com/exclusive-eu-leaders-say-that-they-not-us-will-decide-on-frozen-russian-assets/

European leaders privately insisted they alone should control decisions over immobilized Russian assets during a recent call with President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to a transcript obtained by the Kyiv Independent, even as the U.S. reportedly lobbied European countries to block plans to lend the cash to Ukraine.

In the call, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen repeatedly stressed that Europe is moving forward with a so–called reparations loan and is solely responsible for decisions regarding the assets.

The transcript was shared with the Kyiv Independent by a senior diplomatic source.

The EU formally presented the reparations loan on Dec. 3, which could lend up to 210 billion euros ($245 billion) of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine to keep the country's finances afloat, as Kyiv hurtles towards an existential cash crunch in mid–2026.

But the announcement comes as Bloomberg reported on Dec. 5, citing European diplomatic sources, that U.S. officials had tried to convince European countries to block the plan, and that the assets are needed to secure a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.

more at link

[justaprogressive]

1. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Krasnov eat shit!

[hlthe2b]

2. Oh, I LOVE hearing (reading this)... Step up and slap Trump down, EU! (and NATO)

[Fiendish Thingy]

3. Let's hope this story is true

EU needs to step into the void and support Ukraine to protect European democracies.

[Emrys]

4. "the assets are needed to secure a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine"

The assets are needed because Trump and his cronies are entitled terminally crooked greedy bastards and can't wait to get their claws on the blood money (or at least their 50% share of it) they're determined to screw out of the aftermath of their longed-for "peace deal".

Hence at least part of the reason for their unseemly and irresponsible rush, before the EU and Ukraine pre-empt that option.

[flashman13]

5. The assets are needed to secure peace. When the Ukranians finally kick the Russian's ass there will be peace.

[littlemissmartypants]

6. LBN post on the topic:

https://democraticunderground.com/10143577431

GMTA

[GiqueCee]

7. As long as the Orange Hellbeast...

... defiles the Oval Office, nobody should trust the U.S. government, or bend the knee to the self-serving demands he tries to impose on sovereign nations. Trump cannot be trusted any further than you can throw the garbage truck that spawned him.

[Alice Kramden]

8. Well said

[ColoringFool]

9. You Mean To Say The King Of The World Isn't The Final Arbiter Here?! ....

His offer is Putin's: "Pay me a Croesus-level fortune and I'll leave. For now."

Here come more admonitions, insults, threats, and tariffs!

If only Scotland could/would confiscate his golf courses, or at least disallow the construction of more.

[LiberalLovinLug]

10. The headline says they WILL decide. The content of the article puts it another way.....

European leaders privately insisted they alone SHOULD control decisions over immobilized Russian assets

So its unclear if the US has to be on board or not.

[Amaryllis]

11. WHy does the US have any say at all? Unless they are making US aid conditional on having a say...

[Emrys]

12. What US aid? n/t