BRUSSELS: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Russian assets frozen in the European Union should remain under European control, pushing back against the prospect of placing them under US control.
Asked about bringing frozen Russian assets in Europe under American control, Merz said the decision belonged to European authorities.
“These are assets that are frozen in Europe, and they should remain frozen in Europe; that is for us to decide,” he said.
The Global Envoy’s Rohan Dua was present at EU Council’s two-day Oct 15-16 summit in Brussels to report on the agenda.
His remarks underline Germany’s position that decisions concerning assets frozen within the European Union should remain with European governments and institutions.
The question of frozen Russian assets has become part of the wider debate over how Europe should respond to Russia’s war against Ukraine and sustain pressure on Moscow.
Merz also called for continued support for Ukraine, arguing that Russia’s attacks threatened not only Ukraine’s territorial integrity but Europe’s political order.
“It is my firm belief that we are not only defending Ukraine’s territorial integrity, but also the political order of Europe, which is under pressure from Russia in every respect,” he said.
The German chancellor has urged European leaders to increase funding for Ukraine through the winter and into next year.
His comments on frozen assets reflect the broader challenge facing European governments as they consider how to support Kyiv, maintain pressure on Russia and determine the future of assets held under EU restrictions.
