Europe has ‘big decisions to make’ on Russian frozen assets with UK willing to work with the EU, Miliband says – Europe live | Europe
Europe has ‘big decisions to make’ on Russian frozen assets with UK willing to work with the EU, Miliband says
Oh, that’s interesting.
UK’s Miliband gives a fairly broad answer, with a bit of defence for Trump’s idea of a broader energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
But then he says that Europe needs to “redouble our efforts on sanctions.”
“Europe has big decisions to make, including on Russian sovereign assets. I think we need to return to this issue.
Britain is willing to do this alongside the European Union, because, look, we know that every wrong message that is sent to President Putin is a is a message that sets back our security and sets back the Ukrainian cause, and we need to send the right messages.”
Key events
‘Doors to the EU are open for you,’ German minister tells Miliband
Oh, they are enjoying taunting Miliband about Brex-turn.
Germany’s Wadephul declares with a massive grin on his face that “the doors [to] the European Union are open for you,” although he caveats that by adding “the key is in your hands.”
And that concludes this panel.
We should hear from more ministers during the day, including Spain’s José Manuel Albares and Ukraine’s Andrii Sybiha soon.
Poland’s Sikorski says “what is at stake is Europe’s status in the global division of power.”
“Whether the triumvirate that is trying to divide the world into spheres of influence is composed of the US, China and Russia … and we are just suppliers of data and tourist attractions, or whether we are that third leg.”
Ministers gets asked a slightly unusual question about what Europe could look like in 20 years.
Miliband gives a pretty personal answer:
“I don’t have a crystal ball, but I know what we need to do, and that is to fight for our values, and that is the most important thing.
I talked at the beginning about my parents, both of whom were Jewish refugees. They saw a world torn apart, and then they saw people who fought for values of freedom, democracy, multilateralism, the rule of law. And, more than at any other time since my parents were refugees, we see those values under threat.
And the truth is, I can’t describe the exact world that we’re going to live in, but I know that fighting for these values across all fronts, whether it is standing with Ukraine, whether it is against Russian aggression, in Europe and elsewhere, whether it is on issues like climate and others, that is absolutely what we all need to do.
And also, I know Britain isn’t in the European Union, but I know that Europe’s role in this- and I’m a proud European – Europe’s role in this is absolutely fundamental to keeping a world order that we would recognise and that would actually be doing the right thing for our children.”
He once again refuses to be drawn in on whether the UK should be back in the EU.
Poland’s Sikorski responds to a direct challenge from the audience on why the EU is not doing enough on the issue of frozen Russian assets.
He says “we have been frustrated about this for years.”
He adds:
“Belgium says a thing that is reasonable, namely, that when the Russians sue them, they cannot be left with the liability on their own. We are working the European Commission is working on finding a legal instrument that will spread some of the risk, and I hope we arrive at it as soon as possible.”
Norway’s Espen Barth Eide again gets the closest to criticising Trump as he mounts a powerful defence of the international criminal court, now once again sanctioned by the US, saying it’s a key part of the global accountability setup.
“It’s good to have rules, but there must also be consequences of breaking the rules, because otherwise, why do you really have these rules?”
On hybrid attacks, he says there needs to be a discussion on how to answer to “sub-Article 5” incidents (that’s a reference to Nato’s Article 5).
“We realise that just saying that if you do that again, we’ll issue a strongly worded statement doesn’t really, you know, suffice.”
Miliband comes back to the issue of frozen assets in the Q&A.
He says “we stand ready to work with the EU” on this question as he ducks an extra question on whether the UK could come back to the EU.
But he also says Europe should take “the so-called hybrid warfare” – which he defines as “disinformation, misinformation, espionage, cyber-attacks” – “much, much more seriously and look at all the tools at our disposal to counter.”
Sikorski goes domain by domain, saying why he thinks Russia is not winning the war, as he points out that “a country without a navy has blockaded a country with a powerful navy,” and that Russia is “completely stuck” on land and in the air.
“The Russians are trying to terrorise cities. … Does it lead to the moral collapse? It doesn’t. You can kill a lot of people. You can commit a lot of war crimes. But it doesn’t end the war.”
Norway’s Espen Barth Eide says Russia appeared to be convinced by their own propaganda, whereas in reality the Russian forces are recording “massive losses” with “very little military gains.”
He warns that “every sign like the diesel deal will be exaggerated and used as a sign that they’re beginning to sow division among Ukraine’s best friends.”
UK’s Miliband says the UK and allies have to “make sure that we do everything we can to supply [Ukraine] with the defensive equipment they need,” moving “on a number of fronts.”
“We need to move forward on the fiscal front. And we’ve talked about the frozen assets but making sure that we meet the fiscal needs of Ukraine to sustain them through the winter and beyond.”
He also says there is need to help Ukraine with energy for this winter, and with increasing sanctions on Russia.
On his recent visit to Ukraine, he says:
“My overall impression from my visit, and I’m sure others will testify to this, is both the barbarity of what Putin is doing, but also the resolve of the Ukrainian people. I think the resolve is a truly incredible resolve.”
He also says, repeatedly, that Putin is “not winning this war,” despite his ministers not telling him the truth about the situation on the frontline.
‘Over our dead bodies,’ Poland’s Sikorski dismisses suggestions of releasing frozen Russian assets
On frozen Russian assets, Poland’s Sikorski says the use of frozen Russian assets is “a complicated issue,” but takes a very clear stance in response to any suggestion of releasing them back to Russia.
“We are working on it, but there is also some rumours that some people are expecting these assets to be released back to Russia.
I don’t think I’m speaking just for myself in saying: over our dead bodies.”
Russia ‘not ready’ for ceasefire at the moment, Germany’s Wadephul says
Germany’s Wadephul also says Russia “has to pay for that war,” and stresses the need to keep funding Ukraine.
Asked if his recent meeting with Russia’s foreign minister Lavrov on the margins of the UN meeting recently showed to him that Russia is ready for a ceasefire, he smiles/smirks: “No.”
“Russia right now is not ready for ceasefire, but still, this only can encourage us to stay with Ukraine and to, strengthen, the pressure on Russia and always be ready for conversations, but and also especially for, for ceasefire negotiations.
But, until this doesn’t happen, we are with Ukraine. We are with the president the German government is is backing the Ukrainian government and the president, completely. He is the person to lead Ukraine, and we are with him.”
Europe has ‘big decisions to make’ on Russian frozen assets with UK willing to work with the EU, Miliband says
Oh, that’s interesting.
UK’s Miliband gives a fairly broad answer, with a bit of defence for Trump’s idea of a broader energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
But then he says that Europe needs to “redouble our efforts on sanctions.”
“Europe has big decisions to make, including on Russian sovereign assets. I think we need to return to this issue.
Britain is willing to do this alongside the European Union, because, look, we know that every wrong message that is sent to President Putin is a is a message that sets back our security and sets back the Ukrainian cause, and we need to send the right messages.”
The ministers get asked about Trump’s diesel deal with Putin.
They don’t really offer any hot takes on this.
Germany’s Wadephul says that Europe needs to keep talking to Trump, and keep imposing sanctions on Russia.
Poland’s Sikorski makes a domestic point, putting pressure on Poland’s Maga-friendly president Karol Nawrocki to intervene with Trump directly.
Norway’s Espen Barth Eide also focuses on Europe’s resolve, more than anything else.
By the way, you can watch the Warsaw Security Forum panel with Barth Eide, Miliband, Sikorski, and Wadephul here.
‘We are facing a really testing period’ on Ukraine, Russian hybrid warfare, UK’s Miliband says
UK’s Miliband is next.
He draws on his family’s history, saying his mother found refuge in Warsaw during the second world war, and he had “an amazing visit” to the Jewish Historical Institute this morning where he saw documents about his family’s history.
“It is a reminder of what war means for the ravaging of people’s lives and the uprooting of people’s lives.”
But he then moves on to Ukraine as he says:
“I think our job is not to be analysts, but to lead. We are four and a half years into this warm and the truth is that our resolve is being tested. Our resolve is being tested as far as Ukraine is concerned, resolve is being tested with Russian hybrid warfare, and our job is to stop and to respond.
I feel a sense of confidence, but I don’t think we can be complacent at all. We are facing a really testing period. Putin is not winning this war, but him not winning is not good enough for us yet.
And therefore what we do in the coming months, whether it is on sanctions, continuing to increase the pressure on Russia, whether it is the fiscal support for Ukraine, whether it’s defensive support for Ukraine, all of this really, really matters, and it matters morally, and it matters also to European security.”
Support for Ukraine over the coming winter is critical, EU ministers say
The four ministers are speaking now.
Poland’s Sikorski says he “regrets” that Europe “wasted” the first two years of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and is only now “catching up” when it comes to rearmaments.
“By the end of the decade, we will have a combined army, even just around the Baltic and the Eastern flank, that Putin would be crazy to attack. But if that is our calendar, that would be too late for Ukraine,” he says.
He says it’s critical to sustain Ukraine through the coming winter.
Germany’s Wadephul says Europe is “more united than we were at the beginning of the war,” and “have more capabilities.”
“The winter will be challenging, but we know what to do.”
Over in Warsaw, Poland’s parliament speaker Włodzimierz Czarzasty is beginning his opening speech telling the audience that Europe is “at the turning point” of “civilisational” significance.
Addressing the Warsaw Security Forum, he says “for those who have any doubts that the president of the Russian Federation is a murderer and aggressor, and Ukraine is a victim.”
He says “it has to be said: there is no free Poland and free Europe, without a free Ukraine.”
Just as he says it, Poland issues a (now fairly routine) emergency alert to residents of a south-eastern region neighbouring Ukraine, putting them on high alert because of Russian strikes across the border.
The foreign ministers of Britain, Germany, Poland and Norway should be up on the main stage shortly.
11 crew members from sunken vessel hit by drone still missing near Bulgarian coast
The latest update from Bulgaria says that 11 crew members from the sunken ship are still missing.
The number of people rescued from the ship has now gone up to five, with authorities hoping they will be able to offer more insight into what happened overnight.
Morning opening: Two ships hit by drones off Bulgarian coast
Jakub Krupa
Drones of unknown origin struck two ships in the Black Sea off Bulgaria this morning, sinking one and prompting emergency rescue operations, the country’s prime minister Rumen Radev said.
Only one person was rescued from the sunken vessel, and 15 people were picked up from the other one.
The attack comes exactly a week after a similar incident in which one ship sank with its crew on board, and the other one was evacuated, with 18 people rescued.
PM Radev said the attacks were “absolutely unacceptable,” and said he would seek assistance from Nato and the European Union.
He said that while there is no “clear and conclusive evidence to attribute responsibility” yet, “the logic suggests that the outcome benefits the Russian Federation.”
The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said “the Black Sea has become another front of escalation of the Russian war in Ukraine.”
“This is unacceptable. I strongly condemn the drone attacks on merchant ships near Bulgaria’s coast. Putting the lives of the crew in grave danger and threatening security in the Black Sea. We stand with Bulgaria and thank its rescuers for their swift response. Those responsible should be held accountable.”
The incident comes amid growing fears about Russia’s war against Ukraine and as several European foreign ministers meet at the Warsaw Security Forum in Poland, including Britain’s Ed Miliband, Germany’s Johann Wadephul, and Ukraine’s Andrii Sybiha.
I will monitor their comments and bring you the top lines.
Separately, the French high school protests are expected to intensify today after key groups called for “a day of mobilisation” across the country.
Over in Spain, the Spanish royals are expected to visit the autonomous city of Ceuta in northern Africa, which continues to see its every day’s life disrupted by the migration crisis.
In Sweden, the Social Democrats leader Magdalena Andersson is due to report back on the progress of her talks on government formation today. But early reports suggest she does not quite have everything lined up yet, and the process is likely to take more time.
Finally, in the Vatican, Pope Leo is expected to be hospitalised today to remove a lung nodule discovered in his body to test it if the lesion is malignant. He is likely to stay there for about a week.
So, lots for us to cover. I will bring you all the key lines here.
It’s Monday, 13 October 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
