On Wednesday night, French lawmakers approved a nonbinding resolution calling on the European Union to seize frozen Russian assets and allocate them to support Ukraine.
The vote takes place as European nations increasingly explore the possibility of confiscating approximately €200 billion in Russian assets that were immobilized following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The majority of these funds are held by the Brussels-based financial institution Euroclear.
Publicly, France has expressed opposition to the move, citing concerns that it could violate international law and deter investors. However, behind the scenes, French officials are becoming more receptive to the idea.
French LawmakersLast year, G7 nations reached an agreement to use the profits generated from these frozen assets—rather than the assets themselves—to guarantee a $50 billion loan for Ukraine.
Over 60 percent of the lawmakers present voted in favor of the resolution. The far-right National Rally chose to abstain, while the hard-left France Unbowed collectively voted against it.
The resolution also calls on the EU and its member states “to facilitate” Ukraine’s accession to the bloc.
The eight-hour debate highlighted the stark divisions within French politics regarding military support for Ukraine and its potential EU membership—issues that have raised particular concerns among lawmakers from France Unbowed and the National Rally.