European Commission faces pressure over economic policy and Russian asset use

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is facing scrutiny regarding the Union’s economic direction and its methods for financing support for Ukraine. At the MEDEF summer universities, business leaders expressed dissatisfaction with EU policies. Patrick Martin, president of MEDEF, criticized the accumulation of environmental norms, which he likened to hidden customs duties. TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné also called for a shift from an ‘Europe of consumers’ to an ‘Europe of producers.’

Simultaneously, a debate has resurfaced regarding the use of frozen Russian central bank assets to fund Ukraine. While the EU previously settled on a €90 billion loan to support Kyiv through 2027, several nations—including Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain, and Poland—have signed a letter urging the Commission to explore new options for mobilizing Russian funds. This move seeks to revisit the controversial idea of using the aggressor's assets to finance the victim's resistance, a proposal that had previously faced significant political opposition within the bloc.