The EU will discuss simplifying the mechanism for freezing Russian assets.

The European Commission will consider changing the mechanism for freezing Russian assets by the end of the week. Currently, member states extend this measure every six months; now, it is proposed to make the freeze permanent.

EU ambassadors will consider the issue of granting the European Commission the authority to permanently freeze Russian assets by the end of the week, Politico reports. Bloomberg sources confirm this information .

Sources for the publications indicate that the freezing mechanism may be simplified in order to secure Belgium's support and ensure the adoption of a plan for a "reparations loan" to Ukraine by the end of the week.

Currently, all 27 EU member states are required to renew the asset freeze every six months, raising concerns that Hungary or anyone else could veto it and grant Moscow sudden access to their funds, Bloomberg reports. The EC proposal calls for an extension of the six-month cycle and requires only a qualified majority of member states to support each renewal and extension. According to sources, the overwhelming majority of member states support this strategy.

EU countries want to expedite the adoption of a law that would permanently freeze €210 billion in Russian assets, the Financial Times previously reported. This is to prevent Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán from vetoing the law at the upcoming EU summit.

Following the start of the military operation in Ukraine, the European Union and G7 countries froze Russia's gold and foreign exchange reserves totaling approximately €300 billion. More than €200 billion of this amount is held in Euroclear accounts.

The Wall Street Journal previously reported that European leaders were unlikely to agree on a loan for Ukraine using frozen Russian assets at the upcoming EU summit. The European Commission stated that a decision on financing Ukraine for 2026–2027 would be made at the EU summit on December 18–19.

Belgium, where the majority of Russian assets are held, opposes the "reparations loan." The authorities explained that they are not prepared to bear the risks of such a scheme alone. Euroclear also spoke out against it, fearing Moscow's retaliatory actions, specifically the threat of losing €16 billion in client assets held in Russia. European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde stated that the legal and financial justification for the asset seizure appears "strained." The IMF also rejected the proposal .

Moscow considers the confiscation of its foreign assets theft and has threatened "serious consequences." The Kremlin warned that both countries and individuals will bear legal responsibility.

Russian businessmen subject to EU sanctions have already filed lawsuits against the European Union and its member states for a total of at least €53 billion, according to a report by the European Trade Justice Coalition (ETJC). Almost half of the 28 lawsuits were filed in 2025 .

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