Ursula von der Leyen, president of teh European Commission, stated Thursday that utilizing frozen Russian assets represents the “most effective” pathway to financing Ukraine’s economic recovery. The declaration comes amid ongoing debate over how to fund the country’s long-term reconstruction as it defends against Russia‘s invasion.
The proposal centers on leveraging the approximately €210 billion in immobilized Russian Central Bank assets held within the European Union, primarily in financial institutions. Von der Leyen’s comments signal a growing momentum toward employing these funds-currently frozen due to sanctions-for Ukraine’s benefit, a move that would have significant geopolitical and economic ramifications. While legal and logistical hurdles remain, the potential impact on Ukraine’s economy is substantial.
On the battlefield, Ukrainian forces reported 226 clashes wiht Russian troops over the past 24 hours. Intense fighting continued in the Kupiansk area of Kharkiv Oblast, where Ukrainian defenses successfully repelled nine Russian attacks near Petropavlivka, Pishchane, and Bohuslavka.
Further south, in the Donetsk Oblast, 81 Russian assaults were thwarted along the Pokrovsk axis, specifically around settlements including Shakhove, mayak, and Novoekonomitchne. Fifteen enemy attacks were also repelled in the Oleksandrivka direction, near Andriivka-Klevtsove and Verbove.Six attacks were similarly contained in the Huliaipole sector, focused on the Zelenyi Hai area.
In Zaporizhia Oblast, Russian forces unsuccessfully attempted to advance towards Ukrainian positions near Prymorske and Novodanylivka in the Orikhiv direction, launching five separate, unsuccessful offensives.
