EU to discuss unlocking €140bn in frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine – Europe live | Europe
Morning opening: How will Ukraine be funded from now on?
Yakup Krupa
EU finance ministers are meeting in Brussels this morning to dispute bloc’s economic and financial agenda Increasingly urgent financing problem for Ukraine.
president of ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy In an interview with Bloomberg, he said: published this morning ($), i.e. the country’s survival depended on receiving more funds from the allies.
“Hopefully, God bless us, we will make this decision.” he told Bloomberg Television. If not, “We’ll have to find an alternative, It’s a matter of our survival. That’s why we need this so much. And I trust the partners.”
The European Commission still hopes to convince member states – and especially Belgium, which continues to block the proposal due to legal fears – It will continue with a compensation loan of 140 billion euros It is based on frozen Russian assets.
commission chairman Ursula von der Leyen he insisted this morning that this would be “the most effective way to sustain Ukraine’s defense and economy.”
A. The final decision on the issue has been postponed to the EU leaders’ summit to be held in Decemberwith funding needed early next year.
However The talks took place at a difficult time for Kyiv. Zelenskyy was forced to act to contain growing public anger in Ukraine over a corruption scandal in the energy sector, dismissing two ministers accused of involvement in a large-scale bribery scheme.
Danish Minister of Economic Affairs Stephanie Lost When asked for his reaction to the scandal, he insisted he was determined to continue supporting Ukraine.
“Certainly, Ukraine will have to constantly work on reforms, strengthening all segments of society [and] This also applies to the fight against corruption … but there should be no doubt that Ukraine has strong European support behind it,” he said.
Let’s see what comes out of today’s meeting.
I will be apart We’re watching the Netherlands, where parliament meets to discuss potential paths forward in government formation, Italy-Albania consultations in Rome gives us the last chance to enjoy the amazing Meloni-Rama dynamicsand a number of high-level meetings across Europe NATO’s Mark Rutte visits a German air base.
We have a lot to overcome.
His Thursday, November 13, 2025, his Yakup Krupa here and this Europe Live.
Good morning.
important events
In a sign of possible trouble for Jetten, Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius VVD party, whose side D66 hopes to win over in the future government He said his preferred coalition would be centre-rightapparently once again ruling out a coalition with the left wing GroenLinks –PvdA party.
He lists: economy, defense, stricter immigration and asylum laws, and public finance as party priorities
D66’s Jetten said that the Netherlands is ‘longing for a new era’ under the new government, but there has been no progress in coalition talks yet
When opening the discussion, Jetten says that “millions of Dutch people have chosen cooperation and optimism over the “quarrels and stagnation” of the previous right-wing government. He says the Netherlands “longs for a new era” with “stability and determination”.
It reiterates key policy focus areas: housing, climate change, migrationAnd economy.
says voters expected parties “to cooperate where possible, not just look at differences” to help voters “regain confidence in the power of politics to improve lives.”
Jetten said the party feels “great responsibility” to form the next governmentand is calling for the appointment of two “informants” from his party, D66, and the center-right CDA, to advance negotiations to form a government.
However, since a clear coalition has not yet been formed, he admits: Talks will need to continue by early December, the next deadline.
But the populist PVV leader who spoke after him Geert Wilders continues the attack, saying the two parties proposed to lead coalition talks do not have a majority and will “waste time”He insists that a right-wing government should be formed instead.
He says a new right-wing government could be formed even before Christmas if his party is not blocked by the next administration.
Dutch parliament meets to discuss government formation process
The new Dutch parliament is currently sitting.
New MPs were officially sworn in last night I returned this morning to discuss the next steps in the government formation process.
Speaker Martin Bosma opens the session and we will hear from all party leaders, including the next prime minister Rob Jetten.
Zelenskyy says compensation loan for Russia’s frozen assets is ‘an important tool in bringing peace’
of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy too commented On freezing Russia’s assets, he told EU leaders this morning it would be a “huge loss” for Russia “If we can get this money in any way, whether it’s a loan insured by other countries or some other way.”
“If we can get this 140-160 billion, this A big loss for Putin and his circle. You know it’s their money. “So for them, it really destabilizes the system and their clique,” he said.
And he said Kiev will use the money “not only for weapons” but also for the production of other equipment.
“This [would] An important signal for Russia: Look, if you continue, next year you will lose 35 billion to 80 billion in energy trade (depending on how sanctions work), plus 140 billion in frozen assets. This is an important tool in bringing peace.he emphasized.
Dutch finance minister says: ‘It is important that we continue to support Ukraine’
Separately, Dutch finance minister Eelco Heinen He said the EU should listen to Belgium’s concerns about using Russia’s frozen assets to help Ukraine, but insisted it was important to maintain the bloc’s support for Kiev.
“According to me It is important that we continue to support Ukraine. That’s what I’m fighting for here; “To combat Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, we must ensure that money flows through Ukraine so that the economy and also the army can survive,” he said.
When asked about the corruption scandal, he said:
“Fighting corruption is an effort that Ukraine must constantly undertake“I continue to have a dialogue with them that they need to fight corruption, and that is also part of the conditionality that we put in the packages we design for Ukraine.”
Morning opening: How will Ukraine be funded from now on?
Yakup Krupa
EU finance ministers are meeting in Brussels this morning to dispute bloc’s economic and financial agenda Increasingly urgent financing problem for Ukraine.
president of ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy In an interview with Bloomberg, he said: published this morning ($), i.e. the country’s survival depended on receiving more funds from the allies.
“Hopefully, God bless us, we will make this decision.” he told Bloomberg Television. If not, “We’ll have to find an alternative, It’s a matter of our survival. That’s why we need this so much. And I trust the partners.”
The European Commission still hopes to convince member states – and especially Belgium, which continues to block the proposal due to legal fears – It will continue with a compensation loan of 140 billion euros It is based on frozen Russian assets.
commission chairman Ursula von der Leyen he insisted this morning that this would be “the most effective way to sustain Ukraine’s defense and economy.”
A. The final decision on the issue has been postponed to the EU leaders’ summit to be held in Decemberwith funding needed early next year.
However The talks took place at a difficult time for Kyiv. Zelenskyy was forced to act to contain growing public anger in Ukraine over a corruption scandal in the energy sector, dismissing two ministers accused of involvement in a large-scale bribery scheme.
Danish Minister of Economic Affairs Stephanie Lost When asked for his reaction to the scandal, he insisted he was determined to continue supporting Ukraine.
“Certainly, Ukraine will have to constantly work on reforms, strengthening all segments of society [and] This also applies to the fight against corruption … but there should be no doubt that Ukraine has strong European support behind it,” he said.
Let’s see what comes out of today’s meeting.
I will be apart We’re watching the Netherlands, where parliament meets to discuss potential paths forward in government formation, Italy-Albania consultations in Rome gives us the last chance to enjoy the amazing Meloni-Rama dynamicsand a number of high-level meetings across Europe NATO’s Mark Rutte visits a German air base.
We have a lot to overcome.
His Thursday, November 13, 2025, his Yakup Krupa here and this Europe Live.
Good morning.
