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Merz Rejects U.S. Plan, Keeps Frozen Russian Assets in Europe

By Drooid · Oct 15, 2026, 2:53 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said frozen Russian assets must stay in Europe.
He made the remark in Brussels ahead of the EU summit on October 15, 2026.
U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner proposed moving assets to a Washington-overseen vehicle, but European delegates rebuffed it.
EU countries have immobilised about €210 billion of Russian central-bank assets, €185 billion of which sit at Euroclear.

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Story summary

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said frozen Russian assets must stay in Europe.
He made the remark in Brussels ahead of the EU summit on October 15, 2026.
U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner proposed moving assets to a Washington-overseen vehicle, but European delegates rebuffed it.
EU countries have immobilised about €210 billion of Russian central-bank assets, €185 billion of which sit at Euroclear.