Russia warns Europe: we will go after any state which takes our assets

Russia on Monday warned European states that it would go after any state which sought to take its assets after reports that the European Union was floating the idea of spending billions of dollars worth of frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine. After President Vladimir Putin sent his army into Ukraine in 2022, the United States and its allies prohibited transactions with the Russian central bank and finance ministry and blocked $300-$350 billion of sovereign Russian assets, mostly European, U.S. and British government bonds held in a European securities depository. Reuters reported that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants the European Union to find a new way to finance Ukraine's defence against Russia using the cash balances associated with Russian assets frozen in Europe.