Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen emphasized the importance of making a swift decision regarding the provision of a reparations loan to Ukraine. She highlighted that, despite uncertainty surrounding the plans for using frozen Russian assets in Belgium, Copenhagen continues to support this initiative.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Discussions on the Use of Russian Assets
Speaking after the “Coalition of the Willing” meeting held on October 24, Frederiksen stated that there are no alternatives but to compel Russia to compensate for the damages inflicted on Ukraine. She stressed the political nature of this decision, underlining the need to address a number of technical issues and clarify the details of the loan mechanism.
“I have not seen any alternative, and the idea of allowing Russia to pay for the damages caused to Ukraine is the only way forward. Of course, there are some technical questions that need to be answered, and there are many details we need to work on, but, first and foremost, this is a political decision and a political choice,” she noted.
EU Plans for Financing Ukraine
The head of the Danish government emphasized that the best option would be to make a decision on the reparations loan by Christmas, that is, by December 24. This would ensure sustainable financing for Ukraine in the coming years. She also pointed out that some European leaders find the process more complicated, but the main goal is to prevent Russia from winning and not to shift the financial burden onto Europeans.
Earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reported that Europe is intensifying cooperation in the defense industry and continues to work on mechanisms for providing a reparations loan to Ukraine. Specific options for such assistance are expected to be proposed soon.
The “Coalition of the Willing” meeting took place after EU leaders in Brussels failed to agree on the use of frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine due to legal and technical concerns raised by Belgium, the country where a significant portion of these funds is held.
Despite this, with the participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European Union leaders committed to providing financial support to Ukraine for at least the next two years. This was reported by European Council President Antonio Costa after the summit.