German Chancellor Calls Trump To Discuss Using Russian Assets For Ukraine

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz/DOK PHOTO via Instagram @bundeskanzler

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called United States President Donald Trump to discuss plans to use frozen Russian assets to help Kyiv, Ukraine.

In a celebration in the Financial Times, Merz proposed providing interest-free loans to Ukraine worth around 140 billion euros (Rp2.81 quadrillion) using frozen Russian assets in Western countries.

"The Federal chancellor announced the initiative to utilize frozen Russian assets to support the Ukrainian armed forces," said German government spokesman Stefan airing, quoted by ANTARA from RIA Novosti, Monday, October 6.

Trump and Merz also discussed the development of the situation in Ukraine and agreed to continue joint efforts to end the conflict, he said.

The two leaders also discussed conditions in the Gaza Strip and agreed that negotiations in Egypt should produce a quick agreement regarding the release of hostages, cessation of hostilities, and the deployment of Hamas weapons.

Since the start of Russia's military operations in Ukraine, the European Union and G7 countries have frozen nearly half of Russia's foreign exchange reserves worth around 300 billion euros. More than 200 billion of them are kept in the European Union, especially in Belgium's Euroclear clearing agency.

In early October, the European Commission reported that it had distributed 14 billion euros to Ukraine from January to September 2025 using profits from frozen funds from Russia's central bank.

In retaliation, Russia imposed restrictions on foreign investor assets from countries deemed unfriendly, which are now placed in a special account 'C'. These assets can only be disbursed with a government commission permit.

Russia's Foreign Ministry has repeatedly called the asset freeze a form of theft, confirming that the European Union is targeting Russian state and private funds.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow would retaliate for any confiscation of Russian assets and consider taking steps to withhold the funds of the Western state in Russia.