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The UK is ready to advance with utilizing the full worth of immobilized Russia's assets to bolster the Ukrainian defense operations, PM Sir Keir Starmer has announced.

In a collective announcement, the leaders of the Britain, France, and Germany stated that this joint measure would escalate tension on Russia's leader Vladimir Putin and persuade the Russian Federation to come to the table.

They clarified that the initiative would be implemented in strong partnership with the United States.

United Kingdom sanctions have blocked more than £25bn of Russia's assets since Moscow initiated its full-scale invasion against Ukraine in 2022. But, up to this point, funds allocated to Ukraine using Russian assets had exclusively been taken from earnings and returns earned on them.

Sir Keir told Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky that the UK, the French Republic, and Germany were aligned in their desire to push forward toward utilizing the full value of the seized Russia's state holdings to halt hostilities.

He noted that additional measures in the coming days and weeks would apply more pressure on Moscow.

This statement comes after European Union leaders convened in Copenhagen previously to debate using seized Russia's holdings for a €140bn financial aid to Ukraine.

Recently, US President Donald Trump called on international partners to confiscate or utilize frozen Russia's holdings, as reported by media sources.

The worth of immobilized Russian assets in the EU is estimated to be nearly €211bn.

Leader Zelensky calls on the United Kingdom's Sir Keir Starmer to take part in the weapons procurement program

Russia launched widespread missile and drone strikes throughout Ukraine on Friday, causing blackouts in large parts of Ukraine's capital, the city, and eight other regions.

Several persons were killed and at least 20 people were injured in the strike, Ukrainian officials said.

In a post on an online platform after the attack, Zelensky wrote that the premeditated assault aimed at civilian and energy infrastructure.

"The necessity is not just talk but concrete steps - from the America, EU, and the Group of Seven - in providing anti-aircraft weapons and enforcing penalties," he wrote.

"Every sanction decision diminishes the Russian war effort," Zelensky wrote, in a different message.

Also on Friday, Zelensky stated to media outlets he would press Sir Keir to enter the PURL scheme, under which partner nations buy military equipment from the United States to donate to Ukraine.

While commending the United Kingdom's consistent assistance for the Ukrainian government, he noted it should send a clear signal that it would engage in the program, as well as apply additional restrictions on Russia.

Large-Scale Assaults Cause Outages in the Capital and Throughout the Nation

• Conflict in Ukraine
• France
• Germany
• Russian Federation
• Ukraine