MOSCOW

Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) claimed on Tuesday that the UK is sabotaging Ukraine peace by pushing EU to seize frozen Russian assets.

The agency said in a statement that London aims to make the US lose interest in settling the Ukraine conflict, as Moscow has allegedly promised those funds for future joint projects with Washington.

According to the SVR, London expects that diverting these funds to Ukraine will reduce American involvement in negotiating with Moscow and allow "unrestricted use of Kyiv against Russia."

As an additional tool of pressure, the statement said, Britain plans to "blackmail" Americans with the prospects of Europe's drift away from the US and rapprochement with China.

"It has been agreed that Paris, London, and Berlin will convey to Washington signals expressing readiness to drift towards Beijing if the US continues to push for a Ukraine deal that fails to satisfy Europeans," the SVR said.

British officials, the agency added, are attempting to exploit loopholes in EU treaties and invoke emergency situations to justify stealing Russian money.

The SVR stressed that "although the British Empire's glory faded long ago, its habit of lying and thievery persists," emphasizing that crimes today carry inevitable consequences.

EU leaders will decide later this week whether to use the about €210 billion in Russian frozen assets to provide Ukraine with a loan. Most of the assets are held at the Euroclear depository in Brussels, which opposes the EU move.