An EU “working group” will be set up to look at using frozen Russian assets for the reconstruction of Ukraine, the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union said on Tuesday.
The group will carry out a “legal, financial, economic and political analysis of the possibilities of using frozen Russian assets,” the Swedish presidency’s statement said.
Part of this work will involve obtaining a “clearer picture” of where Russian state-owned assets are located and their total value, the statement added.
“In principle, it is clear-cut: Russia must pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine. At the same time, this poses difficult questions. This must be done in accordance with EU and international law, and there is currently no direct model for this,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said.
The group will be chaired by Anders Ahnlid, director-general of Sweden’s National Board of Trade.
Sweden currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU, which rotates among EU members every six months.