The European Parliament has expressed hope for progress on the issue of transferring frozen Russian assets for the benefit of Ukraine. Speaking from the podium in Strasbourg, the leader of the European People’s Party, Manfred Weber, emphasized the need for a unified EU position regarding the funding of Ukraine’s defense needs and further support for the country in its confrontation with Russian aggression.
This is reported by Kyiv24
European Parliament’s Position on Russian Assets
Manfred Weber stated that during the upcoming EU leaders’ summit scheduled for October 23-24, a clear position is expected regarding the use of frozen Russian assets to finance military aid to Ukraine. He stressed that the European Union must present a united front on the international stage, as the effectiveness of joint actions depends on this.
“We expect that at the European Council (at the EU leaders’ summit on October 23-24 – ed.) we will clearly express our stance on funding weapons and using Russian assets for this purpose. The state of Ukraine needs further support from our side to survive. And we must find ways… to speak with one voice. We know that on the global stage we either have one voice or we have none,” Weber emphasized.
Skepticism About Negotiations with Putin
Commenting on the postponement of possible negotiations between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Weber noted the discussions within Germany, where some political forces are calling for increased diplomatic efforts towards Russia. At the same time, the politician is convinced that negotiations with Putin are meaningless, as he believes that “Putin has only one interest — the destruction of the European way of life.”
Weber also mentioned that in the case of conflict in the Middle East, the EU remained an observer, and emphasized that a similar scenario is unacceptable regarding the situation in Ukraine.
According to him, even during Trump’s presidency, attempts were made to engage Putin in negotiations, but these efforts yielded no results, and representatives of the right wing of politics in Europe should understand the lack of interest from the Russian side in changing its position.
On October 21, it became known that the summit involving the presidents of the USA and Russia in Budapest, which Trump had previously announced, will not take place anytime soon. White House representatives explained this by excessive demands from the Russian side, and American diplomats concluded that under the current circumstances, reaching agreements in Budapest is impossible. According to journalists, preparations for the meeting are now “on pause.”