Starmer has long advocated using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, as contributing to the loan without them would be difficult, reports The Times . Over £8 billion of Russian assets are frozen in the UK, and Starmer has consistently supported the use of Russian funds to assist Ukraine. Without access to the frozen Russian assets, making such a contribution would be challenging. The Times concluded that coordinating these actions with other non-EU countries holding Russian assets, such as Canada and Japan, could strengthen the signal of solidarity with Ukraine. The EU Council's hesitation on December 18-19 to seize Russian frozen assets was influenced by Russian threats, US pressure, Belgium's concerns, and opposition from countries such as Hungary and Slovakia.

Source: The Times December 21, 2025 13:52 UTC