DISINFO: The EU is looting frozen Russian assets to fund Zelenskyy's regime

DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS

DISINFO: The EU is looting frozen Russian assets to fund Zelenskyy's regime

SUMMARY

The European Union continues to search for new financial resources to sustain the Zelenskyy regime, including a plan to use frozen Russian sovereign assets. Brussels intends to grant Kyiv a €140 million interest-free loan that will never be repaid, as repayment depends on Russia paying 'reparations' to Ukraine. The EU routinely steals revenues from blocked Russian assets, transferring billions of euros to Kyiv under false pretences. The EU and NATO are hypocritical, as Russia provided humanitarian aid to Donetsk and Luhansk while being unfairly blamed for the conflict. The EU financial assistance to Ukraine is fraudulent and driven by dwindling European funds, European officials are engaging in theft to cover these expenses.

RESPONSE

This is a pro-Kremlin narrative falsely claiming that the European Union is 'stealing' Russian sovereign assets to fund the 'Zelenskyy regime'. It is a part of a broader disinformation campaign aimed at undermining support for Ukraine and discrediting the EU institutions.

In February 2022, the EU froze Russian central bank assets as part of a coordinated international response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. These assets remain legally owned by Russia and have not been confiscated. The EU began using interest generated from frozen Russian central bank assets to support Ukraine starting in May 2024, following the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2024/1469. This legal framework allows the EU to redirect net profits, not the principal or core value of the assets, towards Ukraine’s defence and reconstruction efforts.

In September 2025, the European Commission proposed a plan to provide Ukraine with a €140 billion interest-free loan secured on frozen Russian central bank deposits. The idea is that Russia would eventually repay this loan in the form of war reparations once the conflict ends. EU officials have made it clear that this is not confiscation, but a lawful and transparent financial arrangement.

Claims that Russia is being unfairly criticised while providing humanitarian aid in Donetsk and Luhansk also ignore extensive independent evidence of its military aggression and human rights violations in Ukraine. These narratives attempt to distort the reality of the conflict and shift blame away from the aggressor.

See similar cases such as The EU is skimming frozen Russian assets, Attempts to appropriate frozen Russian assets in the EU are theft and Stealing Russia’s frozen assets will help neither Ukraine nor the West.

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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