EU Leaders Agree to Explore Use of Frozen Russian Assets for Ukraine

European Union flags and a Ukrainian flag outside the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels on Feb. 24, 2025. Yves Herman /ReutersEuropean Union leaders agreed at a summit in Brussels on Dec. 18 to explore financing Ukraine’s 2026–27 funding needs through a loan backed by frozen Russian assets, temporarily setting aside plans for joint EU borrowing, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Tusk described the outcome as a political opening rather than a final decision, saying leaders had agreed it was “worth trying” to build a mechanism around Russian assets, even as major legal and risk-sharing hurdles remain.