Russia has warned that it will take action if the European Union moves to seize its frozen assets, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Thursday.
Zakharova described any Russian response as a “surprise” for the EU but did not provide further details. She also criticized European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s behavior as “inappropriate.”
The remarks follow von der Leyen’s revised proposal on Wednesday to use frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine. The updated plan reduced the potential funding from a maximum of $186 billion to about $105 billion.
Belgium has opposed the EU initiative, citing unresolved financial and legal risks. Most of the frozen Russian assets are held at Euroclear, a securities depository based in Brussels.