EU agrees to indefinitely freeze Russian central bank assets

13/12/2025 10:04 France 24

The European Union agreed on Friday to indefinitely freeze Russian central bank assets held in Europe, removing a big obstacle to using the cash to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia. A first big step is to immobilise 210 billion euros ($246 billion) worth of Russian sovereign assets for as long as needed instead of voting every six months on extending the asset freeze.

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Zelensky visits troops as Ukraine claims gained ground near key city

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday he had visited troops fending off Russian advances near the embattled city of Kupiansk that Moscow claimed to have captured last month, which Kyiv denies. Ukraine said earlier its army had retaken two settlements in the northern Kharkiv region and...

13/12/2025 10:38 France 24

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12/12/2025 21:25 France 24

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12/12/2025 20:59 France 24

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12/12/2025 17:10 France 24

Berlin summons Russian ambassador over increase in hybrid attacks

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Disney to invest $1bn in OpenAI to let fans create AI videos

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Germany summons Russian ambassador over cyberattacks on air traffic control, general election

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Ukrainian Zelensky rejects Washington peace plan

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12/12/2025 09:29 France 24

Swiss Eurovision winner Nemo returns trophy to protest Israel’s participation

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12/12/2025 08:36 France 24

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Disney, OpenAI strike landmark deal to let fans create AI-generated videos

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11/12/2025 20:52 France 24

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BREAKING NEWS

13/12 11:20 - Slovakia ‘won’t support anything’ that helps prolong Ukraine conflict – Fico 13/12 10:38 - Zelensky visits troops as Ukraine claims gained ground near key city 13/12 10:19 - Witkoff to meet Zelensky for latest Ukraine war talks 13/12 10:04 - EU agrees to indefinitely freeze Russian central bank assets 13/12 10:00 - With an army of yes-men, how Putin’s world turned into an echo chamber 13/12 09:43 - Virtual reality offers escape to Gaza children wounded in Israel’s war 13/12 09:43 - Virtual reality offers escape to Gaza children wounded in Israel’s war 13/12 09:00 - Starmer to pick new US ambassador as relations with Trump tested 13/12 08:31 - Colombia’s ELN rebels prepare for battle amid Trump ‘intervention’ threat 13/12 08:31 - Colombia’s ELN rebels prepare for battle amid Trump ‘intervention’ threat 13/12 08:03 - North Korea’s Kim bestows ‘hero’ titles on soldiers killed in Ukraine war 13/12 08:03 - North Korea’s Kim bestows ‘hero’ titles on soldiers killed in Ukraine war 13/12 07:52 - Kremlin envoy compares Orban to ‘Game of Thrones’ hero 13/12 07:31 - Myanmar military says armed groups used hospital it bombed, killing dozens 13/12 07:31 - Myanmar military says armed groups used hospital it bombed, killing dozens 13/12 07:24 - Russian drone hits Turkish ships in Ukraine 13/12 07:24 - Russian drone hits Turkish ships in Ukraine 13/12 07:09 - Child of Dust: A man’s search for his father after the Vietnam War 13/12 07:09 - Child of Dust: A man’s search for his father after the Vietnam War 13/12 07:00 - Beware airport parking thieves: police warn over spate of car thefts 13/12 06:53 - North Korean Soldiers Return From Russia’s War With Ukraine 13/12 06:52 - Live: Russia claims hypersonic strikes on Ukrainian facilities 13/12 06:42 - The Papers: 'King's cancer fight boost' and 'EU freezes' Russian assets 13/12 06:30 - Spain’s FM on Trump’s new security strategy, Europe and Palestine 13/12 06:30 - Spain’s FM on Trump’s new security strategy, Europe and Palestine 13/12 06:00 - Deal or no deal? The inside story of the battle for Warner Bros 13/12 06:00 - ‘Who’s it going to be next time?’: ECHR rethink is ‘moral retreat’, say rights experts 13/12 05:17 - Kim Jong-un admits North Korean troops clearing landmines for Russia 13/12 04:35 - After False Earthquake Alert in Nevada, Lawmakers Demand Answers on How it Was Sent 13/12 03:38 - Member states step up opposition to EU seizing Russian funds – Politico 13/12 03:34 - Russia damages Turkish-owned vessels in attack on Ukrainian ports 13/12 03:34 - Russia damages Turkish-owned vessels in attack on Ukrainian ports 13/12 02:58 - US scolds Rwanda for breaking peace deal as M23 rebels seize key Congo city 13/12 02:58 - Johnson & Johnson ordered to pay $40m to women who said talc to blame for cancer 13/12 02:29 - Dozens Killed as a Hospital Is Bombed in Myanmar’s Brutal Civil War 13/12 01:13 - Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,388 13/12 01:13 - Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,388 13/12 00:35 - As the USA targets Venezuela, its allies Russia and China show little signs of support 13/12 00:05 - Ukraine's health supplies hit in series of Russian strikes on medical warehouses 12/12 23:15 - EU’s use of emergency powers on Russian assets will backfire – MEP 12/12 21:32 - Trump demands Fed listen to him as he lines up new leader: ‘I’m a smart voice’ 12/12 21:25 - At the UN, the US has accused Rwanda of leading the region towards war 12/12 21:14 - How Ukraine Has Responded to Trump’s Peace Plan and Russia’s Demands for Territory 12/12 20:59 - 'They have no border': Ukraine's integration into EU by 2027 deemed unlikely by diplomats 12/12 20:54 - Israel approves 19 new West Bank settlements in major annexation push 12/12 20:54 - Israel approves 19 new West Bank settlements in major annexation push 12/12 20:51 - ‘No candidates’ for key Ukrainian cabinet posts – Reuters 12/12 20:26 - 'It's a mistake for Ukraine to make concessions': Former Trump security adviser John Bolton 12/12 20:18 - EU to freeze €210bn in Russian assets indefinitely 12/12 19:40 - Russia Sues Holder of Frozen Assets Europe Wants for Ukraine Loan 12/12 19:34 - Colombian rebels warn civilians of military drills amid ‘imperialist’ Trump threats 12/12 19:28 - Fourteen Palestinians, including children, die in Gaza amid Storm Byron 12/12 19:28 - Fourteen Palestinians, including children, die in Gaza amid Storm Byron 12/12 19:14 - EU backs indefinite freeze on Russia's frozen cash ahead of loan plan for Ukraine 12/12 19:06 - Were South Africans lured into fighting for Russia’s Ukraine war? 12/12 19:06 - Were South Africans lured into fighting for Russia’s Ukraine war? 12/12 19:05 - Zelenskyy visits frontlines as Ukraine retakes parts of Kupiansk 12/12 19:05 - Zelenskyy visits frontlines as Ukraine retakes parts of Kupiansk 12/12 18:59 - Germany Accuses Russia of Sabotage, Cyberattacks and Disinformation 12/12 18:34 - Who will win the Warner Bros battle – Netflix or Paramount? 12/12 18:34 - Who will win the Warner Bros battle – Netflix or Paramount? 12/12 18:32 - News24 | Rwanda leading east African region towards war - US envoy to UN 12/12 18:20 - Elite cheats slip through net as anti-doping system has ‘stalled’, says AIU 12/12 18:20 - Elite cheats slip through net as anti-doping system has ‘stalled’, says AIU 12/12 17:59 - Putin hypocrisy 12/12 17:59 - Putin hypocrisy 12/12 17:55 - EU bypasses vetoes to freeze Russian assets indefinitely: As it happened 12/12 17:46 - A Trickle of Aid Reaches a Captured, War-Ravaged City in Sudan 12/12 17:44 - UN warns of 'regional conflagration' over eastern DR Congo 12/12 17:33 - Belgian PM meets Starmer in London as debate continues on using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine – as it happened 12/12 17:23 - Kiev and its backers waiting out ‘natural disaster’ Trump – expert (VIDEO) 12/12 17:10 - 'We'll concentrate on European military equipment and improve our defence': Romanian president 12/12 17:01 - Berlin summons Russian ambassador over increase in hybrid attacks 12/12 17:01 - Flooding remains threat in Pacific north-west as Washington declares emergency 12/12 17:00 - ‘There’s been a Badenoch bounce’: is the Tory leader finally cutting through? 12/12 16:50 - 'They're no longer hiding': How Russia is shipping liquefied natural gas to China despite sanctions 12/12 16:50 - Germany accuses Russia of air traffic control cyber-attack 12/12 16:49 - Belgian prime minister 'sceptical' about Ukraine loan using Russian assets 12/12 16:28 - From nukes to AI, China seeks to write new global rules 12/12 16:23 - Pro-Palestine activists daub MoJ building with red paint in protest over hunger strikers 12/12 16:04 - ‘What is going on here?’ Meloni celebrated at Italy’s far-right Atreju Christmas festival 12/12 16:01 - Machado escape planner feared US strike on her vessel as it fled Venezuela 12/12 15:45 - Kremlin outlines results of Putin-Erdogan talks 12/12 15:42 - Christmas tree in Durham village chopped down hours after lights switched on 12/12 15:21 - EU indefinitely freezes hundreds of billions in Russian funds 12/12 15:21 - EU indefinitely freezes hundreds of billions in Russian funds 12/12 15:05 - Secret meetings between FBI and Ukraine negotiator spark concern 12/12 14:53 - Russian forces ‘completely cut off’ from Kupiansk, says Ukrainian commander 12/12 14:53 - Russian forces ‘completely cut off’ from Kupiansk, says Ukrainian commander 12/12 14:43 - ‘Backstabbing’ NATO chief ‘fueling war’ – Hungary 12/12 14:42 - Russia offers cutting-edge agricultural education to students from all over the world 12/12 14:13 - Paramount Says Money Is No Object. Warner Bros. Isn’t Convinced. 12/12 14:04 - EU ‘prolonging the war’ with plan to steal Russian assets – Fico 12/12 14:01 - US still pushing big territorial concessions from Ukraine 12/12 14:00 - Tory transport culture wars risked making roads less safe, says minister 12/12 14:00 - Coalmine expansions would breach climate targets, NSW government warned in ‘game-changer’ report 12/12 13:57 - Disney to invest $1bn in OpenAI to let fans create AI videos 12/12 13:42 - Indonesia floods were ‘extinction level’ disturbance for rare orangutan species 12/12 13:37 - 100,000 in Washington State Ordered to Evacuate as Rivers Rise 12/12 13:17 - US - Europe rift: Further deepening transatlantic divide would only benefit Russia and China'