 "Ukraine should be able to use frozen Russian assets to buy and make weapons, says Zelenskyy")
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday called for the use of Russia’s frozen assets to fund Ukraine’s domestic weapons production and the purchase of European and US arms.
Speaking at a press conference following meetings with European Union leaders in Brussels, Zelenskyy also expressed hope that the European Union would move forward with plans to help Ukraine with a mammoth new “reparations loan” funded by frozen Russian assets.
“I hope that they will make a political decision, positive decision in one or another way to help Ukraine with funds,” AFP quoted Zelenskyy as saying.
The European Commission — the EU’s executive arm — has proposed a complex plan under which Ukraine would repay the funds only after Russia compensates for the damage it has caused.
The proposal faces significant legal and political hurdles. Belgium, which holds most of the frozen Russian assets, has sought assurances that other EU members will share any financial risks if Moscow challenges the move in court.
EU officials hope the bloc’s 27 leaders will give an initial green light on Thursday for the Commission to draft a formal legal framework for the loan.
“I think that the dialogue was really, maybe not simple, but it was very good,” Zelensky said of the talks. “Really we count on decisions on this topic.”
“Russia brought war to our land, and they have to pay for this war,” he said.
Zelenskyy said that any credible plan to end the war must begin with a ceasefire, to be followed by negotiations. He also ruled out any possibility of territorial compromises with Moscow.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“Land swaps with Russia are not acceptable,” The Guardian quoted Zelenskyy as saying when asked whether he believed US President Donald Trump might reconsider the issue.
The Ukrainian leader added that Ukraine’s domestically produced long-range missiles are capable of striking targets up to 3,000 km away, though he appeared uncertain about whether Washington would supply Tomahawk missiles.
Asked to sum up his meeting with President Trump last week, which Ukrainian officials described as “tense”, Zelenskyy suggested the outcome was better than it perhaps initially seemed.
Zelenskyy came back empty handed after travelling to Washington in the hope of securing US long-range Tomahawk missiles to hit back at Russia – but the meeting was ultimately followed by US sanctions on Russia’s energy sector.
“The result of this meeting – we have sanctions on Russian energy. We don’t have a meeting in Hungary without Ukraine, and we have not yet Tomahawks. That’s it. This is the result. I think, not bad,” AFP quoted Zelenskyy as saying.
“Each day brings something,” he added. “Maybe tomorrow we will have Tomahawks”.
The idea of a summit in Budapest between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin was floated after a call between the two leaders.
But the plan was shelved this week, with Washington expressing its disappointment at the lack of progress in ceasefire negotiations with Moscow and later slapping sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies.
With inputs from agencies
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