UK Presses Allies in London to Unlock Frozen Russian Assets and Boost Long-Range Support for Ukraine

Overview

• At an EU summit in Brussels, leaders asked the European Commission to draft a two‑year Ukraine financing proposal that could enable a loan backed by frozen Russian sovereign assets.
• Belgium, where most of the assets are held, warned it could block any scheme unless legal and financial risks are shared across the bloc.
• In London, Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged the allied 'coalition of volunteers' to finalize mechanisms to tap sovereign Russian assets and to expand deliveries of long‑range missiles.
• The UK said it will accelerate air‑defense missile production to supply over 5,000 missiles to Ukraine and will send about 140 light multipurpose missiles this winter.
• The United States announced asset freezes on Rosneft and Lukoil and the EU approved a ban on Russian LNG imports through 2026, while Moscow threatened a 'painful' response to any confiscation.