Disappointment and criticism are mounting within Germany over the recent compromise reached by the European Council regarding aid to Ukraine, particularly concerning the utilization of frozen Russian assets. Franziska Brantner, co-leader of the Green Party, expressed her discontent, stating the agreement represents a setback and underscores the urgency of finding a mechanism to leverage the substantial assets held in European banks belonging to the Russian state for Ukraine’s benefit. Crucially, she cautioned against a scenario where European citizens ultimately bear the financial burden of the damage inflicted by Russia’s actions.
The compromise, which seeks to initially fund aid through European debt, has drawn sharp rebukes across the political spectrum. Norbert Röttgen, Vice-Chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, acknowledged the positive step of committing to two years of defense support for Ukraine and bolstering European security. However, he slammed the reliance on debt, arguing it exposes “a regrettable display of European weakness” by sidestepping the opportunity to hold Russia directly accountable via its own wealth.
Röttgen further criticized the perceived inability of European states to assert their independence, even when dealing with the United States, in pursuit of this objective. While acknowledging that Christian Lindner, the German Finance Minister, took a considerable risk in advocating for direct asset utilization, Röttgen praised his ambition.
SPD foreign policy expert Ralf Stegner echoed the sentiment, lamenting that Chancellor Scholz failed to secure an agreement during the EU summit to directly employ the frozen assets for Ukraine’s reconstruction. He warned that this development severely undermines future prospects of achieving this critical objective and diminishes the few remaining pressure points Europe can wield to facilitate a ceasefire and build a sustainable peace. The prevailing consensus amongst these influential voices is that the European Union has missed an opportunity to decisively challenge Russia’s aggression and further complicate any pathway toward a lasting resolution.