European Union officials discuss the possibility of using the assets of sanctioned Russian oligarchs to finance Ukraine's post-war reconstruction efforts.
The idea is at a very early stage, and a decision has not yet been made, the agency's interlocutors say. Such assets could be used to finance war reparations.
"For now, the assets have only been frozen," - said Eric Mamer, a spokesman for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the EU imposed sanctions against dozens of Russian officials and oligarchs. In particular, Italy alone froze assets worth about 780 million euros. The EU also has announced that it had been creating a working group to search for Russian assets with a view to their freezing and possible confiscation.
The EU will also work with G7 countries, including the U.S. and Australia, on the REPO (Russian Elites, Proxies, and Oligarchs) group to coordinate efforts to identify assets of individuals and entities sanctioned in connection with Russia's invasion in Ukraine.