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Amanpour

Using Frozen Russian Assets to Support Ukraine

Amanpour

CNN

News

4.1 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 18 December 2025

⏱️ 55 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

World leaders are meeting in Brussels to discuss an unprecedented plan to use frozen Russian assets to finance more support for Ukraine. Critics argue that it's legally questionable and risks serious retaliation from Moscow. Correspondent Clare Sebastian joins the show from Brussels.   Also on today's show: author Marietje Schaake, "The Tech Coup"; playwright Bess Wohl and actor Kristolyn Lloyd, "Liberation"; Zoe Weissman, a survivor of both the Brown University and Parkland school shootings    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hello everyone and welcome to Ammanpur. Here's what's coming up.

0:08.0

Crunch time for Europe as leaders meet to decide whether to use frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine.

0:14.0

We'll look at why it is so controversial.

0:17.0

And artificial intelligence, the race, a potential bubble, and serious ethical concerns.

0:23.6

Digging into the issues with Maritia Shaka, former MEP and author of the Tech coup.

0:30.6

Then, Liberation, the hit play exploring women's rights, memory, and balancing the political and personal.

0:38.3

Playwright Bess Wolle joins me alongside one of its stars, Crystal and Lloyd.

0:43.3

Plus, a now all too familiar American story, suffering not one, but two school shootings.

0:50.3

Zoe Weissman, survivor of both Brown and Parkland, speaks to Michelle Martin.

1:13.9

Welcome to the program, everyone.

1:17.1

I'm Biona Golodriga in New York, sitting in for Christiana Ammanpur.

1:19.7

A huge decision for Europe.

1:29.0

Leaders are meeting in Brussels at a crucial two-day summit to discuss an unprecedented plan to use frozen Russian assets to finance more support for Ukraine.

1:33.9

This has been going on for some time now, and it's finally decision time.

1:38.7

It's setting up a clash between member states, with Belgium raising serious concerns given that it holds the lion's share of the frozen cash.

1:42.7

Critics argue that it's legally questionable and risks serious retaliation from Moscow.

1:48.5

But here's Polish Prime Minister and former EU Council President Donald Tusk speaking earlier.

1:55.0

Now we have a simple choice, either money today or blood tomorrow.

2:02.6

And I am not talking about Ukraine only, I am talking about Europe.

2:07.6

And this is our decision to make, and only ours.

2:13.6

I think all European leaders have to finally rise to this occasion.

2:22.6

And President Zelensky says that without this money, quote, there will be a big problem for Ukraine.

...

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