The EU agrees to freeze the assets of the Russian central bank in Europe indefinitely.

On December 12 local time, Denmark, the rotating presidency of the European Union, announced that the EU had agreed to freeze the assets of the Russian central bank in Europe indefinitely. Belgium, Bulgaria, Malta, and Italy issued a joint statement saying that they voted in favor of a long - term freeze on Russian assets during the EU procedure on the 12th. However, the decision on whether to use the frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine needs to be made at an EU summit. Russia said on the same day that it had sued Euroclear Bank in Moscow, accusing it of freezing Russian assets. European Council President Charles Michel said that EU leaders had fulfilled their promise to freeze Russian assets, and next, the issue of meeting Ukraine's financial needs from 2026 to 2027 would be addressed at an EU summit. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that she welcomed the decision made by the EU Council on the proposal to freeze Russian sovereign assets indefinitely.