President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen addresses a press conference in Berlin on October 25, 2022. © John MACDOUGALL / AFP
RT: Seize, not freeze: EU outlines plans for Russian assets
The bloc’s move is legally tricky, a top official admits
The EU seeks to outright confiscate Russian assets rather than just freeze them, but the bloc has yet to lay the legal groundwork for doing so, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday.
The official delivered her remarks during a conference devoted to the rebuilding of Ukraine, which was attended by a number of Kiev’s prominent international donors.
“Our aim is not only to freeze, but to seize the assets,” she said, although cautioning that establishing a legal base for such a move is “not trivial.”
According to von der Leyen, the EU has created a task force that includes various international experts “not only to map out what has been frozen,” but also to see what the legal preconditions would be for seizing Russian assets and using them for the reconstruction of Ukraine.
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WNU Editor: The Kremlin has responded .... Russia says the West has 'essentially stolen' its foreign currency and gold reserves as the EU eyes asset transfer to Ukraine (Market Insider).