Starmer, von der Leyen discuss progress of Russian assets confiscation

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has held a telephone conversation with the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to discuss expropriation of Russian assets, his office said in a statement, Report informs via TASS.

"Their discussion focused on the ongoing work on the US-led peace plan to bring an end to the killing in Ukraine. Both agreed that this is a pivotal moment for Ukraine"s future, and that Europe will stand with them for as long as it takes to achieve a just and lasting peace. They also discussed the latest progress on mobilising frozen Russian sovereign assets," it said.

The European Commission hopes to get the EU countries at the December 18-19 summit to decide on the expropriation of 210 billion euros worth of Russian assets, of which 185 billion euros are blocked on the Euroclear site in Belgium.

Belgium is resisting this decision, demanding legally binding guarantees from all EU countries that they will compensate the kingdom's financial losses from Russia's retaliatory measures.