Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned on Wednesday that Moscow would retaliate against any hostile Western actions, including attempts to expropriate Russian assets.
The Russian diplomat described a proposed EU “reparations loan” scheme — which would use frozen Russian funds in Western jurisdictions as collateral to sustain Ukraine’s economy and extend its combat capabilities — as the last resort for European powers increasingly desperate to prop up Kyiv amid months of significant frontline setbacks.
Lavrov stated that Europe is “blinded by its desire to impose a ‘strategic defeat’ on Russia,” noting some officials openly admit they cannot imagine being forced to accept that their client has been defeated and Moscow will achieve its legitimate objectives.
According to the foreign minister, European countries’ “ideological” anti-Russian drive is colliding with economic reality. “They have no other sources to finance this war unless they rob the Russian Federation and take our foreign assets in violation of all established norms of international and commercial law,” he said during an address to the Federation Council.
Lavrov characterized the EU’s stance as “destructive” and warned that Moscow would retaliate against any hostile steps, including potential European military deployments in Ukraine or expropriation of Russian assets.
The proposed loan — championed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to fund Kyiv’s war effort — has been blocked by Belgium. As the country holds most immobilized Russian assets through Euroclear, it warned that the scheme would expose it to significant legal and financial risks requiring collective sharing among EU members. Belgium also urged non-EU nations holding Russian assets to contribute.
Lavrov added that European officials have created problems for themselves due to a lack of flexibility, stressing that the United States — the key security provider for Western Europe — is growing impatient with both them and the Ukrainian leadership.
