Slovak Deputy Speaker Opposes Using Frozen Russian Assets to Fund Ukraine's Military
Slovak parliament deputy speaker Tibor Gaspar told Russia's TASS agency that confiscating frozen Russian assets for Ukraine's military needs is unacceptable. He pointed to legal risks and possible effects on future peace talks.
Tibor Gaspar, deputy speaker of Slovakia's National Council (parliament), has described the confiscation of frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine's military needs as unacceptable. He made the remarks in an interview with the Russian news agency TASS, as reported by the outlet Evropeiska Pravda. The issue relates to the war in Ukraine and to how Europe might use Russian state funds frozen after the invasion.
Gaspar said Slovakia stresses the need for a careful legal assessment, caution and consideration of the long-term consequences of any decisions.
He recalled that in November 2025 Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico disagreed with a proposal to confiscate the frozen assets and use them for Ukraine's military needs. Gaspar called such an approach unacceptable. According to him, Fico drew particular attention to possible court proceedings, the risks of such measures and the consequences for future peace negotiations.
Gaspar added that Fico considered using the assets for Ukraine's post-war reconstruction potentially more appropriate than directing them to further military operations. In the deputy speaker's words, Slovakia wants any decision to have a clear legal basis, comply with international obligations and minimise the risk of further damage to international relations. He also said sustainable solutions for financing Ukraine's recovery should be sought, ones that would support regional stability and create conditions for lasting peace.
Background
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever recently expressed confidence that the European Commission will not reopen discussions on using frozen Russian assets held at Euroclear to fund Ukraine. At the EU leaders' summit on 16 October, De Wever firmly opposed discussing the idea of using the frozen assets of Russia's Central Bank. Meanwhile, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Vsevolod Chentsov proposed using the Russian funds frozen in Europe in stages, an idea he believes could help change Belgium's position.
