"European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged EU leaders on Wednesday to make a 'decision' on how to finance Ukraine, as the bloc prepares for a crunch summit amid deep divisions over the mobilisation of frozen Russian assets. Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, von der Leyen said leaders must decide whether to support Kiev by tapping immobilised Russian state assets to issue a reparations loan or by relying on traditional EU borrowing. “The next days will be a crucial step for securing this. It is up to us to choose how we fund Ukraine's fight. We know the urgency. It is acute. We all feel it,” von der Leyen said. “We will have to decide which way we want to take, which route we want to take. But one thing is very, very clear. We have to take the decision to fund Ukraine for the next two years in this European Council,” she added. It comes after EU member states last week approved a regulation allowing Russian assets to remain frozen indefinitely, using an emergency 'qualified-majority' vote. The move is designed to ensure the funds remain locked until Russia pays for damages. The decision opens the door for the European Parliament to fast-track a proposed 'reparations loan' for Kiev, estimated to be worth between €90 billion and €140 billion. However, resistance within the bloc is growing. Belgium, which hosts the bulk of frozen Russian assets at the Euroclear clearing house in Brussels, has emerged as a leading critic, warning the plan is 'fundamentally wrong', legally risky, and could expose Europe to serious financial consequences. Opposition has since widened, with Italy, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary and Malta calling for 'alternative solutions' that carry 'significantly less risks' and could serve as a temporary bridge for Ukraine’s financing needs. They were joined by Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, who urged the Commission to 'find other ways' to support Kiev. Meanwhile, Russia has condemned the EU plan, calling it 'outright robbery' and a 'legal nightmare' for the West. EU leaders are expected to take a final decision when they meet in Brussels on Thursday."