While Trump is negotiating, the EU is thinking about "secret weapons" worth € 200 billion - the media

It is about confiscation of Russian assets blocked after a full -scale invasion of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in 2022. The lion's share of this money (approximately 200 billion euros) is stored in the Brussels Financial Institution of EuroClear. "Although the exact amount of Russian frozen assets in Europe is unknown, it is generally recognized that this figure is closer to 200 billion euros than up to € 300 billion," journalists said. The US controls only $ 5 billion.

"The arrest of these assets is a decisive option that would almost certainly guarantee Europe more at the table after the United States and the Kremlin have frozen it in recent Riyadh negotiations, Saudi Arabia," the publication said. However, thoughts in the EU have been divided. The Baltic States and Northern Europe are "for", in particular, this position is supported by Poland, the Czech Republic and the European Commission by the European Commission.

France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Lien are opposite. They fear that such a step scare international investors and will lose the greatest advantage in negotiations. "If you have thawed [assets] and gave Ukraine, you are no longer available and you can't use them as a coin," the unnamed EU diplomat explained. Callas estimates the chances of confiscation as low.

She emphasized that everyone should support this decision until they have reached consent in Europe. However, European countries recognize that frozen assets of the Russian Federation have an additional impact on the Kremlin. "If they definitely want to get money back, then they have to give something in return," the diplomat said. While 27 EU leaders have agreed that the assets would remain blocked until the Russian Federation agrees to pay post -war reparation to Ukraine.

At the same time, according to the World Bank estimates, $ 486 billion is required to restore. That is, assets worth 200 billion euros (over $ 209 billion) will not be completely covered. Recall that The New York Times reported that Ukraine and the United States are approaching the arrangements for rare earth fossils, but the security guarantees do not provide for security guarantees.