EU considers using frozen Russian assets for loan to Ukraine

European leaders expressed broad support on Wednesday for the idea of using Russian assets frozen in the West to provide a 140 billion euro loan to Ukraine but will discuss it further in three weeks to try and sort out legal aspects of the operation. Belgium, where most of the frozen assets are located, is adamant that before it agrees to the plan, it would need strong EU guarantees that it would not be left alone to deal with Moscow if the Russian assets had to be suddenly returned. The loan to Ukraine, which would be used to buy weapons and for the normal running of the country, will have to be guaranteed by EU governments.