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The United Kingdom is prepared to move forward with employing the full worth of seized Russian holdings to support Ukraine's defense operations, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced.

In a collective announcement, the heads of state of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany emphasized that this joint measure would escalate tension on Russia's leader Vladimir Putin and compel Moscow to participate in talks.

They clarified that the decision would be implemented in tight collaboration with the United States.

United Kingdom sanctions have frozen more than £25bn of Russian funds since Moscow initiated its widespread offensive against Ukraine in 2022. However, up to this point, money sent to the Ukrainian government using Russia's funds had exclusively been drawn from earnings and returns generated on them.

Sir Keir assured Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky that the United Kingdom, France, and Germany were aligned in their goal to push forward toward employing the complete amount of the seized Russian sovereign funds to conclude the conflict.

He stated that further restrictions in the coming days and weeks would apply more pressure on Moscow.

This announcement is subsequent to European Union representatives met in the Danish capital recently to consider using immobilized Russian holdings for a €140bn loan to Ukraine.

Last month, President Donald Trump called on Group of Seven partners to confiscate or utilize seized Russian assets, according to news outlets.

The worth of seized Russia's assets in the Europe is assessed to be approximately €211bn.

Leader Zelensky urges UK's Sir Keir Starmer to take part in the PURL programme

Russia executed large-scale aerial attacks across the Ukrainian territory on Friday, leading to power cuts in large parts of the capital city, the city, and several other zones.

Several persons were lost their lives and a minimum of 20 people were injured in the strike, Ukrainian officials said.

In a update on X after the strike, Zelensky stated that the premeditated assault focused on civilian and energy infrastructure.

"What is required is not mere statements but decisive action - from the US, EU, and the Group of Seven - in providing defense mechanisms and implementing sanctions," he wrote.

"All penalty impositions diminishes the Russian war effort," Zelensky declared, in a different message.

Additionally that day, Zelensky informed reporters he would encourage Sir Keir to participate in the weapons procurement program, under which Nato countries acquire weapons from the US to donate to the Ukrainian forces.

While applauding the United Kingdom's firm backing for Kyiv, he said it should send a clear signal that it would engage in the program, as well as enforce additional measures on Russia.

Major Russian Strikes Cause Outages in the Capital and Nationwide

• Ukraine War
• French Republic
• Germany
• Russia
• Ukrainian Nation