The EU complains that Trump has made unrealistic demands

Trump said he is ready to impose serious sanctions against Russia if all NATO countries do so and if they stop buying Russian oil, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The European Union is now trying to respond to the US president's call.

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Trump made these demands knowing that the EU would not be able to meet them, which would allow him to avoid putting additional economic pressure on Russia.

Diplomats said that this week the EU postponed the presentation of a package of sanctions against Russia in order to develop tougher measures.

At the same time, Trump is calling on Europe to use frozen Russian assets, the sources said. US administration officials have publicly called on the EU to use these funds.

The Europeans considered ways to use these assets to support Ukraine, but did not dare to do so for fear of damaging the EU's reputation.

The frozen Russian assets consist mainly of European, American, and British government bonds held at Euroclear, a European securities depository in Belgium. Brussels is now seeking to unfreeze some of these funds starting next year.

According to one proposal, Europe would effectively lend these assets to Kyiv, promising to cover any losses incurred by Euroclear. If Russia fails to pay reparations to Ukraine at the end of the war, the EU would simply have to extend the sanctions to avoid having to choose between confiscating the assets and paying Euroclear. The sanctions prohibit Euroclear from returning the assets to Russia.

According to one official involved in negotiations on the proposal, the fund would act as a free and unlimited subscription to weapons.

The search for answers to Trump's challenge illustrates the problems the EU faces in coordinating a response to Russia's belligerence after the US ended direct military aid to Ukraine. It also shows how few tools countries have or are willing to use to hurt Moscow.

Photo: Main.

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