--- title: "US Proposed Including Frozen Russian Assets in Ukraine Peace Deal" description: "The Financial Times reports that the US has proposed including Russian assets frozen in Europe in a Ukraine peace agreement, transferring a portion to a fund controlled by Washington. Europe has rejected the plan." date: 2026-10-16T19:55:26.012Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/us-proposed-including-frozen-russian-assets-in-peace-deal tags: [russia, frozen-assets, ukraine-peace-talks, united-states, euroclear] author: "Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # US Proposed Including Frozen Russian Assets in Ukraine Peace Deal ![Building of the Bank of Russia with a flying Russian flag under a blue sky](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/16/ssha-predlozhili-vklyuchit-zamorozhennye-rossiyskie-aktivy-v-mirnoe-soglashenie/ssha-predlozhili-vklyuchit-zamorozhennye-rossiyskie-aktivy-v-mirnoe-soglashenie-1.webp) ## Key Points - US proposed including frozen Russian assets in the Ukraine peace deal, transferring a portion to a Washington-controlled fund - Talks were held in Miami with Witkoff, Kushner, and officials from Ukraine, the EU, and NATO - Europe, including Germany, insists on maintaining control over the assets - The Kremlin stated it has no information but promised to recover 'stolen' assets through courts - Around $300 billion is frozen, with the majority under Euroclear Belgium control British newspaper Financial Times reported on October 15 that Washington intends to incorporate Russian sovereign assets frozen in Europe into a comprehensive peace agreement for Ukraine. According to the publication, the US plans to channel a portion of these funds into a special financial mechanism controlled by the American side to use them for reconstruction and thereby incentivize peace talks. Sources note that the proposal caught European partners off guard: Brussels and several capitals insist they are not ready to relinquish control over the frozen assets. ### Miami Talks and Washington's Proposal According to the Financial Times, the initiative was put forward during talks in Miami last week (cited by some outlets as October 10) featuring Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and officials from Ukraine, France, Germany, the UK, the EU, and NATO. Washington reportedly proposed several options for unfreezing the funds, including transferring a portion of the assets into a specialized financial structure under the control of the US administration. According to sources, a concrete plan has not yet been agreed upon. ### Europe Insists on Control A US official familiar with the situation stated that Washington has requested proposals on how to use the available funds for reconstruction and is coordinating with the World Bank to combat corruption and establish financial accountability mechanisms. At the same time, FT emphasizes that the US proposal caught Europe by surprise: European parties insist they will not give up control over the frozen Russian assets. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz previously rejected any compromises, stating that the assets "must remain frozen in Europe" and that this is an issue Berlin will handle independently. ### The Kremlin's Position Responding to a question about the Financial Times publication, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow has no information regarding the alleged US initiative. However, he emphasized that Russia will do everything possible to recover the assets it considers "stolen," including initiating legal proceedings and holding those responsible accountable. Thus, the official Kremlin neither publicly confirmed nor denied the fact of the proposal, limiting itself to a statement of lacking information. ### Context: Around $300 Billion Under Lock and Key Recall that Western countries froze about $300 billion of Russia's sovereign assets following the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022. The bulk of these funds is held under the control of Euroclear Belgium, the largest EU clearing and settlement agency based in Brussels. This exact fact makes the fate of the assets one of the most sensitive issues in relations between Washington, Brussels, and Moscow, as any decision to unfreeze or redirect the funds affects both the legal and political interests of all parties. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [США хотят разморозить российские активы для содействия миру на Украине.](https://www.vietnam.vn/ru/my-muon-giai-toa-tai-san-dong-bang-cua-nga-de-thuc-day-hoa-binh-o-ukraine) - Basis origin: FT report from 15.10.2026 about the US proposal to include assets in the peace agreement and the reactions of Europe, Merz, and Peskov. - [США хотят разморозить российские активы ради мирных переговоров](https://aroundprague.cz/news/vojna-v-ukraine/ssha-predlozhili-razmorozit-chast-rossijskix-aktivov-radi-peregovorov) - Confirms: Washington proposes a US-supervised fund, Europe rejected the plan, Kyiv and Brussels are surprised. - [FT: США хотят разморозить российские активы и взять их под свой контроль](https://rus.tvnet.lv/8564847/ft-ssha-hotyat-razmorozit-rossiyskie-aktivy-i-vzyat-ih-pod-svoy-kontrol) - Clarifies the Miami meeting date as October 10, references four FT sources; confirms the structure under the Trump administration's control and the refusal of European delegates. - [ЕС и Украина недовольны планами США в отношении России](https://www.gazeta.press/politics/news/2026/10/16/29539087.shtml) - Подтверждено по источнику gazeta.press ## FAQ ### What specifically did the US propose regarding Russian assets? According to the Financial Times, Washington proposed including Russian assets frozen in Europe in a comprehensive peace agreement for Ukraine, including transferring a portion of the funds into a special US-controlled financial mechanism for reconstruction. ### How did Europe react? European parties, according to the FT, were caught off guard and insist they will not relinquish control over the assets. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the assets must remain frozen in Europe and Berlin will make the decision itself. ### What did the Kremlin say? Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow has no information about the alleged US initiative, but stressed that Russia will do everything possible to return the assets it considers 'stolen', including through legal action. ### What is the volume of frozen assets and where are they stored? About $300 billion of Russia's sovereign assets are frozen; the bulk is under the control of Euroclear Belgium in Brussels.