Budapest (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Hungary criticized EU plans to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine, warning it could trigger major conflict and calling the move “unprecedented provocation.”
As reported by Burak Bir of Anadolu Ajansı, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto warned Monday that EU plans to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine could be a “war provocation of unprecedented scale.”
What did Peter Szijjarto say about EU plans to use Russian assets for Ukraine?
Hungary’s FM Peter Szijjarto posted on X,
“Brussels wants to send another €210 billion to Ukraine, including around €115 billion for weapons. The EU is disregarding its own rules by planning to finance this package through frozen Russian assets. This move would raise the risk of escalation to a level not seen in the past three years.”
He said,
“Freezing Russian assets was already a serious step, but using those assets goes even further. This is a war provocation of an unprecedented scale.”
Mr Szijjarto added,
“Therefore, at today’s Foreign Affairs Council, I will make it clear that for Hungary, the risk of further escalation is unacceptable. Simply because if a war were to break out between Europe and Russia, Europe would not survive it.”
Brussels wants to send another €210 billion to Ukraine, including around €115 billion for weapons.
— Péter Szijjártó (@FM_Szijjarto) December 15, 2025
The EU is disregarding its own rules by planning to finance this package through frozen Russian assets. This move would raise the risk of escalation to a level not seen in the… pic.twitter.com/DGrBBZ9a5F
He warned the plan risks escalating conflict “beyond anything seen in recent years,” adding that freezing Russian assets was already a significant step.
His remarks come after the EU, which currently has €210 billion ($246 billion) in Russian funds frozen, planned to use them to support Ukraine.
How is the EU planning to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine?
EU foreign affairs chiefs are meeting in Brussels today to push for a deal on frozen funds, amid ongoing debates among member states. Most frozen Russian assets are held by Belgian bank Euroclear, with Belgium repeatedly raising concerns over the EU plan.
Last week, Russia’s central bank warned that using its frozen assets would breach the law and pledged to take protective measures.
Kaja Kallas, EU foreign affairs chief, said the bloc will “indefinitely immobilize” Russian assets in Europe.
She stated,
“This ensures that up to €210 billion in Russian funds stay on EU soil, unless Russia fully pays reparations to Ukraine for the damage it has caused.”
Ms Kallas commented that taking over Ukraine’s Donbas region “will not be Putin’s endgame.”
She added,
“We have to understand that if he gets Donbas, then the fortress is down and then they definitely move on to taking the whole of Ukraine. If Ukraine goes, then other regions are also in danger.”
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko expressed support for the EU’s decision to use frozen Russian assets for Kyiv, calling it a “landmark step toward justice and accountability.”
She continued,
“This decision strengthens the foundation for the reparations loan mechanism and brings us closer to a future in which Russia pays for its crimes and destruction caused.”
How many Belgians oppose the EU plan to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine?
A new poll revealed that around 67% of Belgians rejected the EU’s plan to use frozen Russian assets to provide a loan to Ukraine. The survey, conducted by RTL Info, IPSOS, and Le Soir, found strong support for Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s stance against releasing the funds.
Belgium and other EU states have raised legal concerns over plans to access frozen Russian assets, mostly held in Euroclear, Brussels. Public opinion shows 22% support the move, while 11% remain uninterested.
How are the Ukraine-US talks in Berlin progressing on NATO and ceasefire issues?
High-stakes peace talks between Ukraine and the United States are currently taking place in Berlin as of December 15, 2025.
Key participants of the meeting include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and former senior advisor Jared Kushner, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz as host, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
Ukraine signaled it may drop NATO ambitions for Western security assurances, while details on talks over territory and the Russian agreement to a ceasefire remain uncertain.
How many frozen Russian assets are held by the EU?
As of December 2025, the European Union holds nearly €210 billion ($246 billion) in frozen Russian central bank assets. These assets represent the vast majority of the estimated $300 billion in Russian sovereign funds immobilized globally following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The EU aims to use these assets to underwrite a loan of up to €90 billion (or up to €165 billion in some broader estimates) to fund Ukraine’s military and civilian needs through 2026–2027.
In response to the EU’s decision to freeze the assets indefinitely, the Russian Central Bank filed a lawsuit on December 15, 2025, seeking $230 billion (18.2 trillion rubles) in damages from Euroclear in a Moscow court.
