The British Minister of Economy, Rachel Reeves, signed loans worth £2.6 billion (about €3.15 billion) to Ukraine on Saturday. The funds will be financed with Russian assets frozen in the UK. The signing took place during the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In a ceremony via video call, Reeves sealed the documents in the presence of Zelensky and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who had previously welcomed the Ukrainian leader at Downing Street. These resources come for the first time from Russian assets frozen by the UK, as part of the so-called extraordinary income acceleration loans.
Marchenko, the Ukrainian Minister of Economy, expressed gratitude for the aid and mentioned that this represents a step toward the confiscation of all Russian assets in European countries. The bilateral meeting between Zelensky and Starmer culminated with displays of support and an invitation to participate in a European summit where a possible peacekeeping force for Ukraine will be discussed.
On the other hand, the White House denied having organized an ambush against Zelensky on Friday during his meeting with Donald Trump. According to the official version, a stage had been set for signing an agreement between Ukraine and the United States, but Zelensky chose to confront Trump, derailing the meeting. The White House expressed its discontent and doubts about whether Ukraine really seeks to end the conflict with Russia.
