France Votes to Seize 200 Billion Euros in Russian Assets to Aid Ukraine

The French National Assembly has adopted a resolution to strengthen support for Ukraine, including a call to seize frozen Russian assets worth approximately 200 billion euros. The resolution passed with 288 votes in favor, 54 against, and 132 abstentions. It urges the European Union, NATO, and allied nations to increase political, economic, and military assistance to Ukraine. The resolution specifically calls for the immediate use of frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine's military resistance and reconstruction efforts. While the government expressed opposition due to legal and economic concerns, the measure received backing from Macronist, socialist, ecologist, and center-right parties. However, it faced opposition from La France Insoumise (LFI) and the Rassemblement National (RN), with the latter abstaining. The resolution also invites the EU to consider ending Russian gas imports, advancing Ukraine's EU membership process, and developing European defense capabilities. It encourages discussions on deploying European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine if a peace agreement is reached. The measure, largely symbolic, reflects growing European calls to escalate support for Ukraine amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.