German party leader slams Merz’s position on expropriating Russian assets

BERLIN, December 18. Tino Chrupalla, co-chair of Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, has lambasted Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s position on the issue of the use of Russia’s immobilized assets for a "repatriations loan" to Ukraine, triggering a heated debate in parliament.

"This has never been our war. Instead, [the EU leaders] are now looking at expropriating Russian government property and transferring it to Ukraine. This statement alone adds fuel to the fire," he said.

"It is much easier to spend other’s money than one’s own," he noted, adding that such steps as expropriating Russian assets contradict the interests of German citizens and his party will never support them.

On December 17, Merz called on the European Union to ultimately make a decision on the confiscation of Russian immobilized assets. "Continuing Europe’s financial support for Ukraine is not enough," he told Bundestag. In his words, the confiscation of Russian assets and their transfer to Ukraine "will make it possible to finance the Ukrainian army for at least two years.".