The US is considering a new strategy for the use of frozen Russian assets.

The administration of US President Joe Biden is proposing to seize Russian assets from banks amounting to around 300 billion dollars. The money will be transferred to a new account and only extracted after a peace agreement is reached. This step aims to increase US influence in negotiations to resolve the conflict.

According to information from high-ranking officials, the Russian assets belonging to the Central Bank of Russia were frozen three years ago after the annexation of Crimea and the invasion of Ukraine. There are now attempts to release these funds by applying pressure.

'The seizure of assets should send a simple signal to Moscow. If you want your money back, you will have to negotiate,' a representative of the Biden administration stated.

High-ranking officials in the Biden administration consulted with the national security team of newly elected President Donald Trump regarding this step. Trump’s staff, in particular Marco Rubio, the head of the Department of State, and Mike Waltz, who is vying for the position of National Security Advisor, support such a strategy. They believe that the confiscated Russian assets could prompt them to engage in negotiations.

However, European partners do not share the same interest in this step and express concerns about violating international law if the funds are completely confiscated.