Macron did not support the confiscation of Russian assets in the EU

French President Emmanuel Macron did not support the position of the leader of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union, Friedrich Merz, regarding the confiscation of frozen Russian assets. This was reported by the Financial Times, citing European diplomats familiar with discussions within the European Union.

According to one senior European official, the French president is aware of the political costs of such a position but prefers to maintain a cautious course. A source described Paris’s current line as evasive, noting that Macron avoids hard decisions on this issue amid domestic political and broader European risks.

Sources cited by the Financial Times point to a noticeable change in roles between France and Germany in recent months. Whereas Berlin had previously been perceived as the more restrained party on sanctions and the use of frozen assets, Paris is now demonstrating greater caution, while the German position appears more rigid and proactive.

The issue of confiscating Russian assets remains one of the most controversial items on the EU agenda. A number of states support using these funds to finance assistance to Ukraine, while others express concern about legal consequences and the potential undermining of trust in the European financial system. France is among the countries insisting on strict adherence to legal procedures and limitations.

Disagreements between key EU countries complicate the development of a unified approach on this issue. The lack of consensus delays decision-making and intensifies internal debates over acceptable forms of pressure and sources of funding for foreign policy initiatives.

Sources note that Macron’s position reflects France’s broader approach, aimed at balancing political objectives with the legal sustainability of decisions. At the same time, Germany’s growing role in discussions on asset confiscation indicates a redistribution of influence within the European tandem.

Thus, the issue of Russian assets remains unresolved, and the differences between Paris and Berlin underscore the difficulty of forming a coordinated EU policy amid an ongoing conflict and pressure from individual member states.

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