European Commission presents proposals for granting Ukraine a "reparations loan" using Russian reserves
On 3 December, the European Commission (EC) officially proposed to EU member states two options for financing Ukraine in the coming years: raising funds on the financial market under the guarantee of the European budget, and issuing a "reparations loan" using Russian sovereign assets frozen in the EU. The EC considers the second option to be the prime one. "We propose to create a reparations loan using cash balances from immobilised Russian assets in the EU," said EC President Ursula von der Leyen.
Scenarios for the return of Western businesses to Russia
In late spring, amendments initially attributed to the State Duma Property Committee caused a stir: they concerned the right of Russian companies or government agencies to deny foreign investors their options to buy back Russian businesses sold after February 2022. Independent lawyers criticised the draft as "state interference in private interests."
How Russia may respond to EU plans to use its frozen assets
Russia intends to provide a "symmetrical response" to the confiscation ("quasi-confiscation") or other use of its sovereign assets blocked in Europe. This, however, is likely to require the passage of a separate law. Current statutes do not totally allow foreign assets in Russia belonging to residents of "unfriendly" countries to be nationalised.
US peace plan makes Western companies' return to Russia possible
The American media has published a draft plan prepared by the administration of US President Donald Trump to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Its translation into Russian is available in an RBC publication.
European Commission presents proposals for granting Ukraine a "reparations loan" using Russian reserves
On 3 December, the European Commission (EC) officially proposed to EU member states two options for financing Ukraine in the coming years: raising funds on the financial market under the guarantee of the European budget, and issuing a "reparations loan" using Russian sovereign assets frozen in the EU. The EC considers the second option to be the prime one. "We propose to create a reparations loan using cash balances from immobilised Russian assets in the EU," said EC President Ursula von der Leyen.