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Ukraine’s Cash Is Running Low, and Europe Has No Good Plan B
The New York Times ^ | Nov. 17, 2025 | Jeanna Smialek

Posted on 11/17/2025 2:16:32 PM PST by MinorityRepublican

European Union officials have spent months focused on a plan to use frozen Russian assets to make a loan to Ukraine that could help Kyiv fight the next phase of the war.

It is increasingly clear that the bloc has nothing but bad alternatives should that fail.

The loan plan, through which the European Union would use Russia’s central bank assets in Belgium to funnel 140 billion euros, or about $160 billion, to Ukraine, was expected to move forward at the bloc’s political meeting last month. Instead, in a last-minute surprise, Belgium blocked it.

Belgian officials say they are worried that the nation could be on the hook should Russia file a lawsuit or demand its money back. To mitigate that risk, they are asking that other European nations firmly commit to taking on some of the burden through guarantees, a suggestion that has met with pushback from Slovakia. They have also been pressing the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, to consider other options for getting money to Ukraine.

The commission set out those alternatives in a letter sent to national capitals on Monday and seen by The New York Times. One option would be for the European Union to issue joint debt to raise the money Ukraine needs. Another would be for individual member states to give Ukraine direct grants. But both have problems. Joint borrowing would be expensive, entailing interest costs, and direct grants would strain the budgets of already-indebted nations.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Ukraine
KEYWORDS: europe; proxywar; russiantrollfarm; ukraine; welfarewar; zeepershasthesads
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1 posted on 11/17/2025 2:16:32 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Russia could surrender, but I wouldn’t count on it.


2 posted on 11/17/2025 2:17:02 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (I have no answers. Only questions.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Russia would laugh at Europe’s “frozen assets” plan knowing that Europe will freeze without Russia’s gas.


3 posted on 11/17/2025 2:18:53 PM PST by Tell It Right (1 Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Maybe Volodymoort can get a loan from Hunter Biden.


4 posted on 11/17/2025 2:19:33 PM PST by Texas Eagle ("Throw me to the wolves and I'll return leading the pack"- Donald J. Trump)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Yup... Like the rest will run out of money before Russia does... LMFAO


5 posted on 11/17/2025 2:19:50 PM PST by jerod (Nazis were essentially Socialist in Hugo Boss uniforms... Get over it!)
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To: MinorityRepublican

“Next Phase” what is that? It is painful to see ONLY through the garbage media this foolish waste of life and money . Honestly , I see nothing beneficial or settled when this bloodbath and grifting ends. May Gods wrath fall upon these bitches and bastards that have prolonged this entire episode.


6 posted on 11/17/2025 2:28:07 PM PST by mythenjoseph (Islam is not compatible within a free society.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

They must have Euros or Dollars

If Ukraine Govt just printed Ukrainian Hryvnia, it would quickly result in hyperinflation, and that would be more demoralizing and worse for the war effort than any number of missiles hitting power plants, or deaths at the front.


7 posted on 11/17/2025 2:28:34 PM PST by PGR88
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To: MinorityRepublican

Loan guarantees, outright grants, I don’t care, as long as the United States is not involved. I also think it would be a mistake to confiscate Russian assets as there is no legal mechanism for them to do so. No matter what they do, whatever money they spend on weapons will be used as cover for the two thirds of the money which will be embezzled.


8 posted on 11/17/2025 2:42:56 PM PST by webheart (Notice how I said all of that without any hyphens, and only complete words? )
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To: MinorityRepublican
This is why that image still lingers in my thoughts, as the always-fun Europeans gathered around President Trump to plead "do something!"

They KNEW they didn't have it in them, politically at home with their various constituencies who vote, and financially with their taxpayers / consumers already paying a bundle.

So "do something?" Because they knew..... Not the NYTimes knows too.


9 posted on 11/17/2025 2:44:04 PM PST by Worldtraveler once upon a time (Degrow government)
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To: MinorityRepublican

For the love of God, please President Trump, DO NOT GIVE Ukraine any more money.


10 posted on 11/17/2025 2:44:37 PM PST by packrat35 (“When discourse ends, violence begins.” – Charlie Kirk, and they killed him anyway)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Loan guarantees, outright grants, I don’t care, as long as the United States is not involved. I also think it would be a mistake to confiscate Russian assets as there is no legal mechanism for them to do so. No matter what they do, whatever money they spend on weapons will be used as cover for the two thirds of the money which will be embezzled.


11 posted on 11/17/2025 3:20:02 PM PST by webheart (Notice how I said all of that without any hyphens, and only complete words? )
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To: MinorityRepublican

I’m shocked... Ukraine is running out of money and the EU has no plan. Who gives a shxt ? I don’t.

How about finding all the funds the US gave that corrupt country? Probably can’t trace it to the offshore accounts of the Ukrainian mob and the EU is about as good with money as they are their immigration policies.

F’ Ukraine and the European Union.


12 posted on 11/17/2025 3:20:41 PM PST by maddog55 (The only thing systemic in America is the left's hatred of it!)
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To: All

The article is not comprehensive.

The problem is an entity called Euroclear. They are the European repository of sovereign assets from all over the world. They have branches all over the world.

There are about 60 countries with assets stored at Euroclear (based in Brussels). A grab for Russia’s assets then generates a lawsuit in Hong Kong at the Euroclear branch there. If the court finds in favor of Russia, Euroclear will have to pay. If they refuse to pay under orders from the Belgian govt, there is a default presumption across its board of directors that all those other countries will withdraw their money — given the obvious absence of security for it. Then Euroclear has no alternative but to sue the Belgian government for its losses.

Make no mistake here, maneuvers are going to be attempted to steal the money, but the obstacles are substantial.


13 posted on 11/17/2025 3:22:07 PM PST by Owen
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To: MinorityRepublican

This is Europe’s problem. Not one more dime.


14 posted on 11/17/2025 3:22:19 PM PST by circlecity
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To: MinorityRepublican

You wouldn’t know Ukraine is running out of cash. Zelensky is currently on another European tour cutting deals with France, Greece and next stop Spain.


15 posted on 11/17/2025 3:28:24 PM PST by mass55th (“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” ― John Wayne)
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To: Worldtraveler once upon a time

I see President Trump made all the European twits sit in front of him.


16 posted on 11/17/2025 3:30:15 PM PST by mass55th (“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” ― John Wayne)
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To: MinorityRepublican

History will remember how the west encouraged, then betrayed Ukraine.

And little else of this war.


17 posted on 11/17/2025 3:37:56 PM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Europe helped Urkaine with the same competence as they have run their own countries.


18 posted on 11/17/2025 3:39:17 PM PST by Republican Wildcat
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To: Worldtraveler once upon a time

When the US ended direct support, Ukraine was doomed.

Europe?

They are an effin’ joke. Everywhere, by everyone.


19 posted on 11/17/2025 3:43:03 PM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: MinorityRepublican
The loan plan, through which the European Union would use Russia’s central bank assets in Belgium to funnel 140 billion euros, or about $160 billion, to Ukraine, was expected to move forward at the bloc’s political meeting last month. Instead, in a last-minute surprise, Belgium blocked it.

The worldwide message going forward will be do not invest or trust your money with the west and its financial institutions.

They may as well have done the deed, because we've already robbed Russians for hundreds of millions. We call their versions of Elon Musk and Bill Gates "oligarchs" to justify the theft.

So now, many former global investors are dropping the dollar and looking for ways out. The dollar was once safe, now, since being used as a tool of coercion, it's not. This is one reason, along with massive debt, our currency is getting smashed and we have an "affordability" crisis.

All over some corrupt shithole where we have zero interests.

20 posted on 11/17/2025 4:28:39 PM PST by AAABEST (That time Washington DC became a corrupted, existential threat to us all...)
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