Europe must adopt more aggressive stance toward Moscow — U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Bloomberg reported the information.

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker has called on European allies to adopt a hardened stance against Moscow, specifically urging them to move forward with plans to utilize immobilized Russian assets to fund Ukraine's war effort.

He argued that unlocking these funds would be a "significant step" toward securing Kyiv’s financial and military needs for years to come. Whitaker suggested that the move represents more than just economics.

“But I think it would also point to a new step — a more aggressive Europe,” Whitaker said. “The time for them to act boldly is now.”

The pressure to act comes as the burden of leadership shifts toward Europe. Since returning to the White House, President Trump has largely halted U.S. financial and military support for the war-torn nation, forcing EU members and Canada to purchase American weapons directly to maintain supply lines to the battlefield.

However, the European Union is struggling to reach a consensus on deploying the frozen assets. Belgium, which hosts the bulk of the funds via the clearinghouse Euroclear, has raised objections regarding the threat of Russian legal action and retaliation.

While the EU explores options that venture into new legal territory without technically seizing central bank assets, funding for the next two years remains the dominant topic of discussion. Without a breakthrough on the Russian funds, member states face difficult alternatives, including financing billions in grants or taking on joint EU debt to issue loans.