“This will also be a reason for Russia to act to legally defend its legitimate rights to its assets. These steps will not go unpunished,” the official said in a press conference on Monday.

Peskov’s statements come after some US media outlets reported on September 12 that President Donald Trump allegedly proposed that the Group of Seven (G7) confiscate frozen Russian assets.

The spokesman emphasized that the possible seizure of the frozen assets “will seriously undermine confidence in the Western financial system.”

Following the launch of Russia’s special military operation to halt Ukrainian bombings against civilians in Donetsk and Luhansk in February 2022, the European Union (EU) and the G7 froze Russian assets worth €300 billion.

Approximately €200 billion were held in the EU, primarily in the accounts of Euroclear, one of the largest providers of securities settlement and custody services in Europe.

Peskov also said that his government had taken note of Trump’s statements demanding that the EU stop importing oil from Russia.

The day before, the US leader demanded that European countries cease purchasing Russian crude oil and criticized them for not imposing sufficient economic restrictions.

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