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The United Kingdom is ready to advance with using the entire amount of frozen Russian funds to bolster Ukraine's war effort, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has declared.

In a shared declaration, the officials of the UK, France, and the Federal Republic of Germany stated that this coordinated action would heighten pressure on Russia's leader Vladimir Putin and persuade the Russian Federation to engage in negotiations.

They further noted that the initiative would be implemented in close cooperation with the United States.

UK penalties have blocked more than £25bn of Russian assets since Russia initiated its widespread offensive against Ukraine in 2022. But, up to this point, money sent to the Ukrainian government using Russia's funds had exclusively been drawn from gains and dividends accrued on them.

Sir Keir informed Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky that the United Kingdom, France, and the Federal Republic of Germany were in agreement in their goal to drive progress toward employing the total worth of the seized Moscow's national assets to end the war.

He noted that additional sanctions soon would heighten the tension on Moscow.

This announcement follows EU officials gathered in Copenhagen previously to consider utilizing seized Russia's assets for a 140-billion-euro credit to Ukraine.

Last month, US President Donald Trump urged Group of Seven partners to seize or otherwise use frozen Russian assets, as reported by media sources.

The total of seized Russia's assets in the EU is estimated to be nearly €211bn.

President Zelensky urges UK's Sir Keir Starmer to participate in the Purl programme

Moscow executed widespread bombardments throughout the Ukrainian territory on that day, resulting in electricity outages in large parts of Ukraine's capital, the city, and several other zones.

Two people were fatally injured and at least 20 people were wounded in the attack, the Ukrainian government reported.

In a post on an online platform after the incident, Zelensky wrote that the premeditated assault targeted civilian and energy infrastructure.

"The necessity is not empty words but concrete steps - from the America, Europe, and the seven nations - in providing defense mechanisms and applying penalties," he emphasized.

"Each restrictive measure weakens the Russian war effort," Zelensky noted, in a different message.

Additionally that day, Zelensky stated to reporters he would urge Sir Keir to enter the Purl programme, under which alliance members buy arms from the United States to donate to the Ukrainian forces.

While commending the UK's firm backing for the Ukrainian government, he remarked it should send a clear signal that it would engage in the initiative, as well as enforce further sanctions on Russia.

Large-Scale Assaults Cut Power in the Capital and Across Ukraine

• War in Ukraine
• French Republic
• Federal Republic of Germany
• Russian Federation
• Ukraine