Ukraine’s European allies on Friday urged swift action to use frozen Russian assets to bolster financial and military support for Kyiv, as leaders gathered in London for high-level talks aimed at tightening pressure on Moscow and sustaining Ukraine’s war effort.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted the “Coalition of the Willing” meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and several European leaders.
Discussions focused on measures including the redirection of Russian state assets, new sanctions on energy exports, and the provision of long-range missiles to Ukraine.
“There was absolute clarity that progress on using frozen Russian assets to fund support for Ukraine must be realised quickly,” Starmer said after the meeting.
The talks followed a tense European Union summit in Brussels on Thursday, where EU leaders failed to endorse a proposal to use Russian assets, worth hundreds of billions of dollars, mostly held in Belgium, to guarantee a long-term loan for Kyiv.
Concerns over legal and financial implications delayed a final decision.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she hoped a resolution would be reached “before Christmas Eve,” stressing the urgency of securing financing to sustain Ukraine “for the next years.”
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof meanwhile called for the EU to align more closely with U.S. and British sanctions targeting Russian oil and gas companies.
NATO chief Mark Rutte confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump was still reviewing whether to send Tomahawk long-range missiles to Ukraine, noting the issue “remains under review by the president.”
Moscow reacted sharply to the renewed Western push. The Kremlin warned of a “painful response” if Russian assets are seized or redirected to Ukraine.
President Vladimir Putin also condemned Washington’s latest sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil firms, calling them “an unfriendly act,” though he insisted they would not severely damage the Russian economy.
Zelenskyy, who began his UK visit with a meeting with King Charles III at Windsor Castle, welcomed the sanctions as a “powerful step” and thanked London for rallying allies.
The Ukrainian leader has repeatedly urged Western nations to move faster in delivering weapons and financial support, warning that delays only embolden Moscow.
Starmer said the London talks demonstrated renewed unity among Kyiv’s backers and vowed that efforts to unlock frozen assets would “come to fruition within a short timetable.”
The meeting underscored Western determination to maintain momentum in supporting Ukraine as winter approaches, and as the war grinds toward its fourth year with no end in sight.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
