Russia Exploits EU Sanctions Loophole to Unlock $3B in Euroclear Assets

An investigation by Belgian press reveals Russia used a provision in EU sanctions legislation to unlock $3 billion in assets held at Euroclear, circumventing intended restrictions. A similar mechanism may be used in Austria by Raiffeisen Bank to recover losses via frozen assets linked to Oleg Deripaska. This indicates a systemic vulnerability in EU sanctions enforcement, potentially undermining the effectiveness of the sanctions regime.