Macron blocks Berlin's plan on assets

French President Emmanuel Macron has rejected Berlin's initiative to use frozen Russian assets to purchase American weapons for Ukraine. The official press center of France stated that the funds should be used for weapons produced in Europe. Der Spiegel reports on Macron's decision regarding the need to control arms supplies and avoid using foreign resources concentrated in Russia.

Context

In early 2022, European countries discussed the possibility of using frozen Russian assets as a financial resource to support Ukraine in the conflict with Russia. Various approaches were reported, but official statements remained ambiguous.