Ukrainian president says ‘time to act is now’ as Belgium seeks guarantees from other member states over loan plan
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged EU leaders to use Russia’s frozen assets to fund Ukraine’s defence “as soon as possible”, as summit talks on the issue of a reparations loan get bogged down.
Speaking to EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday, Zelenskyy called for a decision to be made to use Russian assets fully to defend his country against Vladimir Putin’s aggression.
“Anyone who delays this decision is not only limiting our defence but also slowing down your own progress,” he told EU leaders, promising that Ukraine would spend a lot of money buying European weapons. “The time to act on Russian assets is now and I urge for your full support.”
EU leaders are discussing plans to fund a loan for Ukraine secured on Russia’s central bank assets, which were frozen soon after the full-scale invasion, in the hope of adding to pressure on Putin to end the war.
