UK ready to use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine war effort

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said that the UK is ready to progress to use the full value of frozen Russian assets to support UKraine's war effort. The UK, France, and Germany's leaders said in a statement that joint action would increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and

bring Russia to the negotiation table. The step, according to the US, will be carried out

in close cooperation. More than £25 billion in Russian funds have frozen since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of UKraine in 2022. However, funds sent to Ukraine using Russian funds had only been taken from income and interest accrued on them until now.

Sir Keir told UKrainian President Volodymr Zelensky that the UK, France, and Germany were

united in their determination to move forward toward using the full value of the immobilized Russian sovereign assets to end the conflict. More sanctions

in the coming days and weeks

will put more pressure on Moscow, according to the author. The news came after European leaders met in Copenhagen last week to discuss using frozen Russian funds for a €140 billion ($162 billion) loan to Ukraine. According to the Financial Times, US President Donald Trump called on G7 allies to confiscate

or otherwise USe" frozen RUSsian assets last month. The value of frozen Russian assets in the EU is expected to be almost €211 billion (£181 billion).

On Friday, Russia launched a new generation of missile and drone strikes in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, and eight other areas, sparking power cuts in major portions of Ukraine''s capitol, Kyy According to Ukrainian officials, two people were killed and at least 20 people were wounded in the attack. Following the attack, Zelensky wrote a post on X that said that the cynical and calculated attack threatened civilian and electricity infrastructure.

What's missing are not empty words but concrete action - from the United States, Europe, and the G7 - in deploying air defence systems and enforcing sanctions,

he said. In a separate column, Zelensky wrote, "Every sanction decision weakens Russia's war machine. Zelensky told the BBC on Friday that he would encourage Sir Keir to join the PURL program, under which Nato countries purchase weapons from the US to give to Ukraine. Although celebrating the UK's steadfast support for Kyiv, he said that it should give the message that it will participate in the scheme, as well as increasing sanctions on Russia.