US explores release of Russian assets for peace talks
European representatives are said to have rejected a US proposal, but independent confirmation is still lacking.
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According to a report carried by Reuters, the United States has proposed releasing some of the Russian state funds frozen in Europe for a Washington-administered vehicle. The plan is intended to help revive peace talks on Ukraine.
According to the report, the proposal was put forward by US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law. European countries would have to unblock some of the Russian assets and transfer them to a fund under US supervision. Reuters was unable to independently verify the information.
According to the same reports, European representatives rejected the plan. It is unclear whether this refers to a formal European decision or a rejection during diplomatic talks. It has also not been disclosed exactly what amount the United States has in mind or what conditions would be attached to the release.
The EU has kept Russian state reserves frozen since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. European rules link the freezing of those assets to the continuation of Russian aggression and to compensation for the damage suffered by Ukraine. The European Commission therefore does not describe the reserves as freely available negotiating funds.
Most of the European assets are managed through Euroclear in Belgium. This makes the issue legally and financially sensitive. A transfer or release could affect the rights of the original owner, the liability of financial institutions and confidence in European sanctions.
The timing effect is significant. European leaders will discuss Ukraine, defence and the multiannual budget in Brussels on 15 and 16 October, among other issues. The European Council has not announced a decision on this US proposal for that meeting. The future financing of Ukraine is, however, firmly on the agenda.
For Ukraine, the debate centres on how long European financial and military support can be sustained. For European governments, it is also about who bears the legal and financial risk if Russia demands compensation or the return of the assets after a peace agreement.
The American approach sees release as a possible negotiating tool. European caution, by contrast, reflects fears that giving up the assets without verifiable conditions would reward Russia and create a precedent for future sanctions. In the absence of official confirmation, the proposal remains primarily a diplomatic signal, not established policy.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Reuters reported a US proposal to use some Russian state reserves in Europe for peace talks.
- Reuters was unable to independently verify the report.
- EU rules keep Russian state reserves frozen until certain conditions have been met.
- The European Council will discuss Ukraine and finances on 15 and 16 October.
Left
Arguments According to this approach, the assets should be used to support Ukraine and prevent the costs of the war from falling on European taxpayers. A fund controlled by Europe would then be more appropriate than a transfer to Washington.
Values Solidarity with Ukraine, international justice and public responsibility.
Consequences Using the assets could give Ukraine financial room, but would entail legal proceedings and possible Russian countermeasures.
Centre
Arguments The institutional approach calls for a legally sound mechanism, European control and verifiable conditions for every step. A peace process must be not only swift, but also sustainable and enforceable.
Values Legal certainty, multilateral cooperation and predictability.
Consequences Caution may delay negotiations, but prevents Europe from taking on a financial and legal risk without clear guarantees.
Right
Arguments According to this approach, Russian assets should remain a negotiating tool and Europe should not automatically bear the costs of Ukraine. A US proposal can be acceptable only if it demonstrably delivers peace and security.
Values Deterrence, national interests and limiting public financial risks.
Consequences A release could bring a peace deal closer, but could also reward Russia and make future sanctions less credible.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The text consistently makes clear that the current diplomatic information comes from a Reuters report that has not been independently confirmed. The legal and institutional context has been checked against official EU sources.
- confirmed According to Reuters, the United States has proposed releasing some of the Russian state reserves. — Reuters reported this based on a report by the Financial Times. source
- uncertain European representatives are said to have rejected the proposal. — This appears in the Reuters report, but Reuters was unable to independently verify it. source
- confirmed The EU keeps Russian state reserves frozen and links this to the war and compensation. — Set out in EU sanctions rules and European Commission explanations. source
- confirmed The European Council will discuss Ukraine, defence and the multiannual budget on 15 and 16 October. — Mentioned in the official invitation to the European Council. source
- confirmed Euroclear in Belgium manages a large share of the European Russian assets. — Euroclear’s role and the frozen assets are described in the European sanctions context. source
Editor's note
The American exploration and the alleged European rejection are based on a Reuters report that Reuters was unable to independently verify. The legal status of the Russian assets and the European Council’s agenda are, however, officially documented.Sources
- US floats unfreezing some Russian assets to restart Ukraine peace talks, FT reports — Reuters via MarketScreener
- Financial and business service measures — Europese Commissie
- European Council of 15-16 October 2026 – invitation letter — Raad van de Europese Unie
- Regulation 2026/467 — EUR-Lex
More on this in Dutch media
- NU.nl — „oekraine russische tegoeden”
- De Telegraaf — „oekraine russische tegoeden”
- AD — „oekraine russische tegoeden”