Putin Threatens EU For Trying To Use Frozen Russian Assets

Vladimir Putin has threatened the EU leaders who tried to use frozen Russian assets to help fund Ukraine’s pushback against his invasion.

The EU agreed overnight to give Ukraine a €90 billion loan after failing to get all countries to agree to transfer frozen Russian assets to Ukraine.

Belgium was hesitant because most of Russia’s overseas assets are stored there, and there was a risk of legal challenges.

However, EU leaders suggested the assets could still be used in the future as Russian reparations to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal.

Speaking at his annual, end-of-year televised address – in front of hundreds of journalists – Putin called the bloc leaders “burglars” for even considering using such money.

“Theft is not a great definition for this, ” he said. “Theft is [in] secret… here it is done in the open.”

He warned: “It’s burglary… the consequences are very serious for burglars.”

The Russian leader said: “This is not just a blow to the image – it undermines trust in the eurozone in this case, because, of course, many countries, not just Russia, store their gold and foreign exchange reserves in the eurozone.

“In addition to image losses, there may be direct losses related to the fundamental foundations of the modern financial world order. That’s why it’s not easy.

“And most importantly: no matter what they steal and how they do it, they will eventually have to give it back.

“Among other things, we will defend our interests, primarily in courts. We will try to find a jurisdiction that is independent of political decision.”

He also used his lengthy press conference to boast about the army’s capabilities, despite speculation that Russia is struggling to recruit.

“Over 400,000 people joined the army… last year,” Putin claimed. “The number of people who want to serve in the newly created type of military [using drones]… is such that the Ministry of Defence has to create a competition.”

Putin also repeated the Kremlin lie that Ukraine is retreating “in all directions” and “refusing to end the conflict through peaceful means”.

Actually, Russia has made very slow progress in its grinding offensive this year, while also dragging its heels over peace negotiations.

Putin could easily end the war overnight by withdrawing from Ukraine and restoring its 1991 borders, too.

He bizarrely claimed that he was confident Russia would claim further “successes” into the end of this year, too – while saying he would reiterate Russia’s past pledges to peace for 2026.

In another sign of his refusal to compromise, he was speaking against a stage backdrop with outlined Russia – and clearly included a fifth of Ukraine’s sovereign land.

Crimea, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Luhansk and Donetsk were all pictured as though part of Russia’s territory even though Putin does not actually fully control these regions yet.

But, he told reporters today: “We do not consider ourselves responsible for the loss of life because it was not us who started the war.”

There have been more than a million Russian casualties since Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine.