German leader Friedrich Merz has opposed the transfer of Russian assets frozen in the European Union to the United States. Donald Trump wants to cash in on the war settlement, but the German Chancellor has clearly outlined the “red lines” on this issue.
Points of attention
- Merz criticizes the notion of exploiting economic gains from the war settlement in Ukraine, emphasizing the collaborative European operation and the aim to provide support for Ukraine's stability, especially in the upcoming years.
- By taking a firm stand against Trump's demand, Merz highlights the European unity in supporting Ukraine's survival and firmly advocates for the transfer of funds to aid the country's recovery.
Merz was not afraid to speak out against Trump for the sake of Ukraine
The German leader made it clear that Russian assets frozen in the EU should be transferred not to the US, but to Ukraine.
This money should go to Ukraine, — said Friedrich Merz.
The German Chancellor drew attention to the fact that the allies must help Ukrainians survive the winter amid the intensification of Russian terror.
Moreover, it is quite likely that financial support from Kyiv will be needed in the next two or three years.
We need funds for this. This is an intra-European issue, and I see no economic opportunity to transfer the funds we have invested to the United States. And the American government knows this.
Friedrich Merz
Chancellor of Germany
He also eloquently hinted that some in the United States want to "gain some economic benefit" from a possible settlement of Russia's war against Ukraine.
"This is legal, but this is not the goal of the operation that we will jointly launch in Europe in the coming days," the German leader explained.
