Albares defends the use of frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine

Eduardo González Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stated this Monday that, in the face of Russian President Vladimir Putin's "delaying" tactics to avoid the ceasefire proposal, it is "legitimate to consider" the use of frozen Russian assets to guarantee "predictable and stable aid to Ukraine." "We Europeans have been helping Ukraine in every possible way since the beginning of this war of aggression, with our solidarity with refugees, with economic aid, with military equipment, and also with sanctions," Albares told the press before the start of the fourth meeting of the Ukraine Support Group (G5+), held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Madrid. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continued, "He has put a ceasefire on the table, and at the same time, we see how Russia is using delaying tactics." to not consolidate that ceasefire,” demonstrating that “it does not want peace.” This situation, he affirmed, forces the EU to “make decisions so that the voice of Europe, which is a voice that seeks peace and security for Europeans and the world, can unite with those who, like President Zelensky, also desire it.” Among these decisions, Albares highlighted the importance of addressing the financing of aid to Ukraine, which “raises the need for a debate—and I conveyed this to High Representative Kaja Kallas in the meeting she held with her earlier—on the use of frozen Russian assets, the interests of which are already being used to help Ukraine achieve and guarantee that peace.” “The issue of assets has already been raised in various Foreign Affairs Councils” regarding “war reparations,” he explained. “In the debate on how to help Ukraine in a predictable and stable manner, it is legitimate to raise the situation of frozen Russian assets,” he insisted. The G5+ Madrid hosted the fourth meeting of the G5+ (also known as "Weimar Plus") this Monday. This is a coordination group of key European countries (Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine, with the participation of the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy) to facilitate dialogue and consultation on issues affecting European security, particularly support for Ukraine. The meeting brought together José Manuel Albares with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas; the European Commissioner for Defense, Andrius Kubilius; and their counterparts from France, Jean-Noël Barrot; Poland, Radoslaw Sikorski; and the United Kingdom, David Lammy (UK). German Minister Annalena Baerbock spoke via videoconference, as did Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Italy sent its State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Maria Tripodi, in place of Minister Antonio Tajani. Kaja Kallas and Andrius Kubilius For her part, Kaja Kallas warned at the same press conference that the United States should put more pressure on Vladimir Putin to accept a ceasefire in Ukraine and “stop this war.” “Three weeks ago, Ukraine agreed to an unconditional ceasefire, and three weeks later, Russia still hasn't agreed to it,” she declared. “Russia is playing games and doesn't really want peace,” she added. “The United States has called for the peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, and therefore, the United States also needs to put more pressure on Russia to stop this war,” she warned. “Right now, what we need is for Russia to also accept this ceasefire and move forward, to show goodwill by returning Ukrainian children who have been deported to Russia or releasing prisoners of war,” she added. “Of course, we will also discuss our own defense. What more can we do to use the tools we already have and make us all stronger? The most powerful tool we have is our unity, so we have to work for it, as Europe faces all these threats,” she added. Commissioner Andrius Kubilius also warned that European defense “requires the solidarity of all Member States” because “it is based on the principle of collective defense,” and if a country does not invest in its own defense, “it weakens all the others.” He also recalled that “the Spanish defense industry is one of the most important in Europe.” France and the United Kingdom At the same meeting, Jean-Noël Barrot accused Russia of continuing to commit "war crimes" weeks after Ukraine accepted the ceasefire and warned that Putin owes the United States "a clear answer about its willingness to move toward peace." "It's a 'yes' or a 'no,'" he stated. For his part, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy called for a "lasting peace," and for that, "Putin must accept an unconditional ceasefire right now." He also reiterated his government's commitment to achieving 2.5% of GDP for defense starting in April 2027 and reaching 3% "in subsequent years."

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