Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson has called for the use of frozen Russian assets to provide assistance to Ukraine via a reparations credit, UkrInform reports. He has also urged the implementation of additional sanctions against Russia.
The European Council plans to make a decision regarding frozen Russian assets at the summit on 18 December 2025.
Support is critical as US aid diminishes
This assistance is crucial for Ukraine at a time when the US has stopped providing aid packages to Kyiv, following Donald Trump's election. America continues to supply weapons to Ukraine through partner funding via the PURL initiative.
Time to use reparations credit to support Ukraine
Before the EU Council meeting on foreign affairs in the defense ministers’ format on Monday in Brussels, Johnson emphasized the importance of increasing support for Ukraine.
“Russia did not achieve its strategic goal of capturing the entire Donbas this summer. We… believe that it is now time to also use a reparations credit to support Ukraine,” Jonson said.
He added that Sweden supports providing Ukraine with a reparations credit, “because Ukrainians need financial means to continue the fight they are conducting brilliantly and courageously.”
At the same time, Jonson stressed that Ukrainians should decide how to use these funds: “This is absolutely critical.”
Europe must enable Ukraine to negotiate from a position of strength
Jonson highlighted that to achieve peace, Europe must do everything so that Ukrainians can negotiate from a position of strength.
Regarding European participation in US-initiated negotiations for a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war, Jonson noted that there can be “nothing about Europeans without Europeans.”
The Swedish defense minister also announced that on Monday, he will meet with Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal to discuss strengthening Ukraine’s positions.
