European Commissioner for Economy Valdis Dombrovskis has stated that the sovereign assets of the Russian Federation frozen within the European Union will remain frozen until Moscow pays reparations to Ukraine for the damage caused by the war. In the event of non-payment, the EU reserves the right to use these assets. The statement was made on the sidelines of the EU Economic and Financial Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on Monday, November 9, 2026.
The 90-Billion Loan Mechanism and Link to Reparations
Dombrovskis reminded that under the terms of the EU's 90-billion-euro support loan to Ukraine, Kyiv will be required to repay the funds only after Russia begins paying reparations. "As for the frozen Russian assets, we know that currently, regarding the support loan we are providing to Ukraine, Ukraine will only have to repay it when Russia pays reparations," the European Commissioner explained. Thus, the financial burden on Ukraine's budget is conditionally deferred until the period preceding the start of reparation payments by Moscow.
EU's Right to Use Assets in Case of Non-Payment
The Commissioner emphasized that the European Union has provided in its regulatory framework for the possibility of using Russian sovereign assets if Moscow fails to start paying reparations. "This means that if Russia does not pay reparations, we have explicitly provided that in such a case the European Union reserves the right to use the frozen Russian sovereign assets," Dombrovskis stated. According to him, this issue does not disappear from Brussels' radar and remains on the agenda of EU institutions.
The Issue Remains on the EU Council Agenda
"So, this issue has not disappeared from our radar. It is also worth noting that there are decisions stating that Russian assets must remain frozen until Russia pays reparations to Ukraine. Therefore, it is obvious that this issue remains with us," Valdis Dombrovskis concluded. His words confirm that the topic of frozen assets was not removed from consideration following recent discussions at the level of heads of state and government, but continues to be a subject of active work at the level of commissioners and councils.
Belgium's Position: De Wever's Categorical Objection
Against the backdrop of Dombrovskis's statements, it is worth recalling the position voiced at the EU leaders' summit on October 16, 2026. Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever strongly opposed discussing the idea of using the frozen assets of the Central Bank of Russia. Subsequently, de Wever stated that he is convinced the European Commission will not propose any new operations related to Russian assets to cover Ukraine's financial needs. Thus, within the EU, a divergence persists between the institutional position of the European Commission, which allows for the use of assets as a last resort, and the position of several national governments, which insist on maintaining the status quo of the freeze without further steps.
Context: What Lies Behind the Discussion
The discussion regarding the fate of frozen Russian sovereign assets in Europe has been ongoing for several years and has become a key element of financial support for Ukraine. The amount of frozen assets is estimated in the hundreds of billions of euros, and their status—whether frozen, used as collateral for borrowing, or directly confiscated—determines the volume of funds available to Kyiv without placing an additional burden on the budgets of EU member states. Dombrovskis's statement on November 9, 2026, records that the baseline scenario remains unchanged: assets are frozen, tied to the reparation process, and the right to use them is retained as an instrument of pressure on Moscow.
