Russia sharply criticised the European Union on Friday after Brussels announced its intention to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s war-torn economy. The Russian Foreign Ministry described the EU as an “illegitimate institution” and a “gang” attempting to justify actions it claims have no legal foundation, local media reported.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova delivered the unusually strong remarks during a media briefing, saying the bloc had crossed all diplomatic boundaries by openly discussing the seizure of Russian sovereign assets. Her comments followed the European Commission’s proposal to withdraw revenue generated from approximately €210 billion in frozen Russian assets under a new “reparations loan” framework for Ukraine.

According to the plan, the EU seeks to offer Ukraine a zero-interest loan to help meet its financial and military needs for 2026, 2027 and possibly later. The repayment would be expected only after Russia ends its military operation and agrees to compensate Ukraine for war-related damages. Brussels has also encouraged non-EU Western countries to join the initiative, according to reports from TASS.

Zakharova said the proposal was not only legally baseless but amounted to an organised attempt at theft. “The European Union has become not just an illegitimate institution, but, better yet, a gang that legitimizes utterly criminal ideas and decisions. This is unprecedented,” she said. She accused EU leaders of fabricating justifications for their actions, adding that discussions were being held with full knowledge that no international legal framework supported such measures.

The spokesperson warned that Russia is preparing a strong and multifaceted response should the EU proceed. She emphasised that Moscow views the proposal as an act of direct confiscation, describing it as “banditry” and “seizure of property.” Zakharova noted that retaliatory steps are already being coordinated among Russian government agencies.

“If these actions are committed — namely, let’s put it plainly, theft — then retaliatory measures are indeed being developed interdepartmentally,” she said. “This will not be a verbal response or just diplomatic notes. It will include statements as well as practical actions.”

European officials have defended the initiative, arguing that the funds are essential to sustaining Ukraine through the next phase of the conflict. They say the arrangement would not violate international law because the assets themselves would not be liquidated — only the profits generated from them would be used.

Moscow, however, has repeatedly argued that any attempt to use Russian funds without consent would be met with harsh countermeasures and would irreparably damage relations with Europe.