🔗 Share this article

The British government is ready to advance with using the entire amount of frozen Russian assets to bolster Ukraine's military campaign, Leader Sir Keir Starmer has announced.

In a joint statement, the heads of state of the UK, France, and the Federal Republic of Germany asserted that this coordinated action would escalate tension on Russian President Vladimir Putin and persuade Moscow to come to the table.

They further noted that the initiative would be executed in tight collaboration with the US.

UK penalties have immobilized more than £25bn of Russia's resources since the Russian government launched its full-scale invasion against the Ukrainian nation in 2022. Yet, until now, funds provided to Ukraine using Russian assets had only been drawn from earnings and returns generated on them.

Sir Keir told Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky that the Britain, the French Republic, and the Federal Republic of Germany were aligned in their desire to drive progress toward using the total worth of the immobilized Russia's state holdings to conclude the conflict.

He noted that more restrictions in the coming days and weeks would apply more pressure on Russia.

This statement follows EU officials convened in the Danish capital previously to debate employing seized Russian funds for a 140-billion-euro credit to Ukraine.

In the previous month, American leader Donald Trump called on G7 allies to seize or employ seized Russian assets, based on news outlets.

The value of seized Russia's holdings in the Europe is estimated to be nearly €211bn.

Leader Zelensky encourages the United Kingdom's Sir Keir Starmer to participate in the weapons procurement program

The Russian government executed extensive aerial attacks all over the Ukrainian territory on Friday, resulting in power cuts in many areas of Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, and multiple additional areas.

A pair of individuals were fatally injured and a minimum of 20 people were hurt in the assault, Ukrainian officials reported.

In a post on X after the strike, Zelensky wrote that the premeditated assault targeted non-military and power facilities.

"What is required is not just talk but firm measures - from the United States, Europe, and the seven nations - in supplying defense mechanisms and applying penalties," he stated.

"Each restrictive measure weakens Moscow's military apparatus," Zelensky noted, in a additional update.

Also on Friday, Zelensky informed media outlets he would urge Sir Keir to enter the weapons procurement scheme, under which Nato countries acquire arms from the US to provide to Ukraine.

While commending the UK's firm backing for the Ukrainian government, he remarked it should send a clear signal that it would take part in the initiative, as well as impose further sanctions on Moscow.

Major Russian Strikes Cut Power in Kyiv and Across Ukraine

• Conflict in Ukraine
• France
• Federal Republic of Germany
• Russia
• Ukrainian Nation