Russian President Vladimir Putin has described the European Union’s efforts to confiscate Russian assets as nothing short of ‘robbery.’ Addressing the nation during his combined year-end Q&A and press conference, Putin differentiated the EU’s proposed actions from clandestine theft. ‘Theft means secret stealing of property. But in this case, they’re trying to do it openly. That’s robbery,’ he declared, according to state media.
The Russian leader also issued a grave warning about the potential damage to the Eurozone’s credibility. He explained that with many nations, including Russia, storing their foreign exchange reserves and gold in Europe, such an aggressive move would dismantle international financial trust. Putin asserted that this would not only tarnish the image of the involved European nations but would lead to a profound crisis of confidence in the Eurozone, impacting all countries that rely on it for safeguarding their assets. He suggested severe consequences would follow for those pursuing this path.