this post was submitted on 12 Dec 2025
157 points (100.0% liked)

World News

51300 readers
2686 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News !news@lemmy.world

Politics !politics@lemmy.world

World Politics !globalpolitics@lemmy.world


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

A first big step, which EU governments agreed on Friday, is to immobilise 210 billion euros ($246 billion) worth of Russian sovereign assets for as long as needed instead of voting every six months on extending the asset freeze.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] perestroika@slrpnk.net 21 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

There's also a longer article that explains the background by BBC:

EU backs indefinite freeze on Russia's frozen cash ahead of loan plan for Ukraine

Context:

  • it's easy to guess that Russia owes Ukraine reparations for agression
  • using Russian assets as a loan (or a guarantee to a loan) to help Ukraine is politically reasonable
  • however, it is legally tricky as the EU could some day fail to keep the assets frozen
  • article 122 of the EU founding treaties allows for qualified majority decisions instead of consensus if there's an emergency situation threatening the economy of the EU or one of the member states
  • a condition that funds remain frozen as long as Russia threatens the EU seems to result in a long freeze, unless Russia actually changes its policies

As for the concern about markets, I think it's exaggerated. Nobody in their right mind is expecting to keep their assets in foreign banks if they pursue a war of agression. A reasonable party to a conflict should expect their assets to be frozen and seized much faster than it's taken.

Also, this seems to reliably remove Russian incentive to threaten or persuade politicians in Belgium. If they no longer hold the keys, harming them won't get anyone any goods.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 11 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

As for the concern about markets, I think it’s exaggerated. Nobody in their right mind is expecting to keep their assets in foreign banks if they pursue a war of agression.

Glances at the US and Venezuela

Glances at Israel and... everyone else