<\/p>\n
Entering the frozen Russian assets to finance the defense of Ukraine could threaten the financial stability of Europe, judged Eric Lombard, the French Minister of Finance on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
“Whatever we think of Russia’s action in Ukraine, <\/em>(\u2026) It is not in international traditions to seize the assets of central banks \u00bb<\/em>explained the minister after a meeting in Brussels with his counterparts in the European Union. “Within the framework of European law, there is no reason to operate the seizure”<\/em> Russian assets and “If there was a seizure without legal reason, on European financial stability it could pose a risk”<\/em>he warned.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Mr. Lombard recalled that these assets were currently frozen and that the product of their placement was used to help Ukraine, which “Corresponds to the state of law”<\/em>. EU countries use the profits released by around 235 billion euros in frozen Russian assets, a windfall of 2.5 to 3 billion euros per year, to arm Ukraine and help it finance its reconstruction.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n “We are urging Ursula von der Leyen to confiscate the 200 billion euros in frozen Russian assets to rebuild and arm Ukraine”<\/em>launched on Tuesday Iratxe Garcia Perez, the president of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The option of a seizure has so far been excluded by the EU, essentially for legal reasons. France, like other European partners, fears that Europe to arouse the distrust of international investors if it acts out of law.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n