- Rachel Reeves, the UK Chancellor, will announce plans to explore using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine's war effort.
- This initiative follows Russia's recent incursion into Estonian airspace, where three MiG-31 fighter jets remained without permission for 12 minutes, causing global outrage.
- The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, has previously suggested a loan to Ukraine backed by "cash balances" from frozen Russian assets, aiming to avoid outright confiscation.
- The UK has already committed a £2.26 billion loan to Ukraine, derived from profits generated by frozen Russian assets, with calls from figures like Ben Wallace and the Liberal Democrats to go further.
- Ms Reeves affirmed that "Russia's war, and Russia should pay," highlighting the defence of Ukraine as vital for the long-term security of the UK and Europe.
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