Russia warns EU asset seizure could be viewed as 'casus belli'

Russia has issued a stark warning to the European Union, stating that any attempt to seize its frozen state assets could be interpreted as a casus belli, or an act justifying war. The warning was delivered by Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Secretary of Russia's Security Council, on the social media platform MAX. He asserted that if the EU proceeds with plans to use immobilized Russian funds as a "reparations credit," it would constitute a severe escalation under international law.

Medvedev's Provocative Statement and Threat

Medvedev, who served as Russia's president from 2008 to 2012, is known for his inflammatory rhetoric. "If the unhinged European Union still attempts to steal Russian assets blocked in Belgium... such actions... could be qualified as a special kind of casus belli, with all the ensuing consequences for Brussels and individual EU countries," he wrote. He further threatened that the recovery of these funds would then occur "not through a court, but through actual reparations, paid in kind by the defeated enemies of Russia."

Context of Frozen Assets and EU Debate

The threat comes amid ongoing discussions within the EU about legally using the profits generated by frozen Russian central bank assets—estimated at hundreds of billions of euros—to fund Ukraine's reconstruction. The assets were immobilized shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. While the debate has centered on using the interest, Medvedev's comments appear to preemptively target any form of permanent confiscation of the principal amount.

Broader Implications for Euro-Atlantic Security

This explicit threat underscores the severe deterioration in Russia-West relations and highlights Moscow's willingness to use extreme rhetoric to deter financial measures. For NATO members and partners like Türkiye, which advocates for diplomatic solutions and regional stability, such escalatory language raises serious concerns about the potential for further geopolitical confrontation and the fragility of the current security architecture in Europe.