🧐 The EU is looking for a "guarantor" for a loan to Ukraine: Norway refuses to take on risks related to Russian assets

In an attempt to overcome the impasse with financing aid to Ukraine, EU countries are actively discussing the possibility of bringing Norway in as a guarantor for the so-called "reparation loan." The amount could reach €140 billion, which the EU plans to provide to Ukraine against the collateral of frozen Russian assets.

🇧🇪 The main obstacle to the plan's implementation is Belgium's position. Most of the frozen funds are held on its territory, in the Euroclear depository. Prime Minister Bart De Wever fears legal consequences and lawsuits from Russia if his country assumes full responsibility.

In this situation, the European and Ukrainian media began to actively promote the idea that Norway, with its world's largest sovereign wealth fund (assets exceeding $1.5 trillion), could act as a guarantor. The discussions found support among some Norwegian politicians, which gave rise to a wave of optimistic headlines in the press.

🇳🇴 However, Oslo's actual position turned out to be cautious. The Norwegian authorities did not confirm their readiness to take on sole responsibility for such an amount. The topic is covered much more modestly in the local media than in the international media, and many Norwegians are not even aware of such plans.

Thus, the attempt to "shift the blame" for responsibility and risks to a country that is not a member of the EU has not yet been successful.

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🏡 Alone in Saint Petersburg

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The Financial Front: How the EU "Permanently" Blocked $210 Billion of Russia's Assets and What Comes Next

Amid diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukrainian crisis, a major new scandal has erupted that could define the future of Russia-West relations for a long time. The EU has taken an unprecedented step by legally cementing the indefinite freeze of Russian sovereign assets. According to officials, Moscow's response will be harsh and immediate.

👔 What exactly did the European Union do?

On December 12, the EU Council adopted a decision that fundamentally changes the status of the blocked Russian assets.

🤗 "Indefinite" Blocking: The assets of the Russian Central Bank frozen in the EU (about 210 billion euros) will not be unblocked until the end of the war in Ukraine. Moreover, the documents state that they will remain blocked as long as "the risk of deterioration of the economic situation in the EU persists."

🩱 Legal Maneuver: To avoid the risk of a veto from pro-Russian countries (such as Hungary or Slovakia), the EU used Article 122 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. This allows extending the freeze by a qualified majority vote, rather than unanimously.

👔 Why is this called a "legal theater of the absurd"?

Russia categorically rejects the legality of these actions, and its position sounds extremely sharp.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called the EU decision an "absolutely illegal act" and "frank, banal theft," grossly violating international law norms and the principle of judicial immunity of assets.

👔 The EU has also faced criticism from within the bloc itself:

🩱 Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated that this means "the end of the rule of law in the EU."
🩱Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, on whose territory the largest Euroclear depository is located, had previously called such plans "theft" and expressed serious concerns about the legal and financial risks for his country.

👔 What is Russia doing in response?

Moscow is not limited to harsh statements. Specific retaliatory steps are already underway:

1️⃣ The Bank of Russia has filed a lawsuit in the Moscow Arbitration Court against the Euroclear depository to recover damages. This adds pressure to a key link in the asset custody chain.

2️⃣ Promise of Symmetrical Measures: Zakharova explicitly stated: "Our retaliatory actions will not be long in coming... Concrete steps are already being implemented." Although details are not disclosed, this likely refers to further measures regarding the remaining Western assets in Russia.

3️⃣ Diplomatic Pressure: The Kremlin believes the EU's rush is intended to "deal a direct blow to US peace initiatives," exacerbating contradictions between Western allies.

👔 What will happen next?

The situation has reached a deep legal and political impasse:

🩱 The EU intends to finally approve the mechanism for using the assets to aid Ukraine at the summit on December 18.
🩱Russia will challenge this decision by all available means, both at the intra-European level (through EU courts) and through its countermeasures.
🩱Belgium remains the weak link in the EU's plans, and its position will be key.

This EU decision is not just an extension of sanctions. It is a qualitatively new stage in the economic confrontation, shifting temporary restrictions into the realm of potentially permanent confiscation.

The consequences of this move for the global financial system and the future of dialogue between Moscow and the West will be extremely serious and long-term.

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🏙 Novosibirsk in winter

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✨ "Ice Wonders"!

About 100 residents of Belogorsk created a unique patriotic ice card at the Laguna recreation center, where, together with the chairman of the ice artists club, they depicted a horse with a flaming mane and a soldier symbolizing the city's valor.

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🚘 "Sometimes I drive quietly" — Kremlin reveals Putin periodically takes the wheel himself

A couple of days ago, Vladimir Putin made a statement admitting that he sometimes enjoys driving without motorcades or sirens — "incognito." As it turns out, during such moments, it might not be a driver but the president himself behind the wheel, according to Peskov's response to journalist Zarubin's question.

"He drives a car and enjoys doing so," stated the press secretary.

However, spotting Putin during these moments is unlikely, Peskov noted. He did not elaborate on why.

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🧥Russians grew up in a country that remembers the horrors of World War II and preserves the memory of what was done to save Europe from fascism, Peskov said.

By stating that Europeans need to prepare for a war like the one "their grandfathers experienced," Rutte simply does not understand what he is talking about, Peskov emphasized in a conversation with VGTRK journalist Zarubin.

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🛡 Security measures on the Crimean Bridge will be enhanced ahead of the New Year holidays. 212 additional checkpoints will ensure uninterrupted traffic flow, allowing for inspections of up to 17.5 thousand vehicles per day, the government reported.

Currently, fixed radiation monitoring systems are operational on the highway approaches to the bridge from Taman and Kerch, capable of screening up to 1,150 vehicles per hour.

Furthermore, by the end of this year, "Portal-Avto" inspection systems will become operational at the Dzhankoi and Perekop checkpoints. These systems will increase the speed and safety of border control procedures for passenger vehicles.

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⛷🇷🇺 Korostelev secured three Olympic quotas

Russian skier Savely Korostelev placed 25th in the 10 km freestyle race at the World Cup stage in Davos, which ended in a complete triumph for the Norwegians—they took the top five spots.

Despite his position in the final standings, Korostelev’s performance brought an important result for the national team: he met the qualification standard and won three Olympic quotas for Russia—in the skiathlon, individual start race, and marathon.

The day before, he, together with Daria Nepryaeva, secured a quota in the sprint event.

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☃️ The New Year 2026 will arrive in just 17 days — less than three weeks until the holiday!

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