Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have demanded in a joint letter on Wednesday that Thursday’s summit of European Union heads of state and government should serve to advance solutions for using frozen Russian funds for reconstruction in Ukraine.
The letter, to which Europa Press has had access, is addressed to the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Prime Minister of Sweden, Ulf Kristersson, as the rotating President of the European Union, and calls for a «conclusive debate» for Thursday’s meeting in Brussels, followed by a «concrete guide» from the European Executive that will mark the legislative path to use the funds confiscated from Russia in the reconstruction of Ukraine.
The leaders of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are calling on the EU to address the issue as soon as possible, insisting that it should not wait until the end of the war or the signing of a peace agreement to address the use of the assets seized from Moscow.
As the letter recalls, the estimates of the member states are that 300 billion euros of the Russian Central Bank’s reserves have been frozen in the Union. The Eastern European leaders demand that this entire amount should cover the cost of the Russian aggression, including the reconstruction of Ukrainian cities or aid to internally displaced persons in the country.
To this end, it asks the EU to be «creative» in studying the various possible options for the use of these funds. At Thursday’s meeting, marked by the possible visit of Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski, the EU-27 are expected to reiterate their commitment to stand by Ukraine «as long as necessary» not only through financial, political and military support, but also through other measures.
On the table will be a new package of sanctions on which they are already working and looking for legal formulas to finance the reconstruction of Ukraine with the resources confiscated from Russia or ensuring that those responsible will be held accountable before international justice.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
