How about them assets — making Russia pay for Ukraine

EU Confidential

POLITICO

Politics, News Commentary, News

4.4 • 175 Ratings

🗓️ 24 October 2025

⏱️ 34 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The EU wants to lend €140 billion in cash from frozen Russian funds to Ukraine; Belgium is afraid it will be the one on the hook for paying it back. That’s just one of the tough topics EU leaders discussed as they gathered in Brussels at a meeting devoted to fighting the external threat from Russian President Vladimir Putin — and the internal threat from the far right. POLITICO’s Gregorio Sorgi breaks down why lending Russian frozen assets is so tricky, while host Sarah Wheaton catches up with colleagues Zia Weise, Gabriel Gavin, Nick Vinocur and Tim Ross on the ground at the European Council summit to get a handle on how debates over climate, sanctions and deregulation played out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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1:03.5	I'm at the Eustis Litsias building in Brussels,
1:08.4	where the lobby has once again been transformed into a huge press room.
1:10.3	And it's packed.
1:17.2	The number of reporters from all over Europe who are sprawled out here is only a little bit larger than the number of issues on the agenda in the private meeting room.
1:21.9	It's another EU summit.
1:25.3	And leaders are debating everything from defense and support for Ukraine to migration and the
1:32.4	Middle East, climate, competitiveness and housing.
1:37.5	And of course, we were on the ground getting the important details from behind closed doors.
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