Reservations from individual European Union member states regarding potential legal and financial risks must not block collective efforts by the Bloc to utilize immobilized Russian sovereign assets for Ukraine's aid.
That’s according to the Lithuanian Member of the European Parliament, Petras Auštrevičius, who spoke in an exclusive comment for Ukrinform, following a new initiative by a group of MEPs to reopen the debate on Russian assets.
Commenting on the stance of Belgium, where the Euroclear depository holds the bulk of immobilized Russian assets, the politician called for preventing a single country from halting decisions that are crucial for the entire Europe: “One objection country as Belgium shouldn't keep everybody else as a hostage,” the MEP stated.
He pointed out that the scale of Ukraine's financial needs far exceeds current temporary instruments, making a comprehensive solution crucial.
“I think we have much more on the plate in order to discuss and find certain solutions. So that's why, even knowing how difficult it might be, it doesn’t stop us, and so we came with this letter in order to try to open the doors for discussions and finally, hopefully, find a certain way forward,” Auštrevičius added. “Ukraine will need much more than 90 billion loan money for its existential survival.”
