BERLIN

Germany is seeking an EU agreement on the use of frozen Russian assets and will raise the issue during the Eurogroup's meeting in Brussels today, German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said on Thursday.

Speaking at a joint news conference with Chancellor Friedrich Merz and leading coalition figures after their meeting Wednesday night at the Chancellery, Klingbeil said maintaining financial and military support for Ukraine was a key topic of discussion.

"I am very grateful to the chancellor for bringing the Europeans together right now and ensuring that we in Europe have a strong voice. I consider that absolutely crucial in this decisive phase of the war," the Social Democrat politician said. "We were united yesterday on how we can continue our support for Ukraine."

Klingbeil said Chancellor Merz's proposal to use immobilized Russian assets to strengthen Ukraine's military—along with the European Commission's recent plan—will be discussed among EU finance ministers and top officials today.

"I will be in Brussels today for the Eurogroup and Ecofin meetings, where this will be a major topic. Yesterday, we agreed that Germany wants to be a driving force on this matter—that we want to find a solution and explore ways to maintain financial support for Ukraine," he said.

Chancellor Merz first proposed using immobilized Russian assets to support Ukraine in September, and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented a detailed plan last week. The proposal seeks to increase pressure on Russia while creating a funding mechanism for military aid to Ukraine.

Belgium, which hosts Euroclear—the main depository for frozen Russian assets in the EU—has expressed reservations about the plan, fearing the country could face legal challenges and bear financial liability alone. The Belgian government has insisted on several changes to the EU Commission's initial proposal to counter potential financial and legal risks and better protect Euroclear.