Medvedev: Using Russian assets to loan Ukraine will justify war

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, said that Moscow could consider the possible use of frozen Russian assets in the European Union for a loan to Ukraine to be tantamount to a justification for war.

"If that crazy European Union nevertheless tries to steal Russian assets frozen in Belgium under the pretext of a so-called 'reparation loan', Russia may consider it a casus belli - a reason for war - with all the consequences for Brussels and the individual EU countries," Medvedev said.

On Wednesday, the European Commission proposed that the EU for the first time use frozen Russian assets or an international loan to raise 90 billion euros for Ukraine to fund its military and basic running of the state.

(reuters, sie)