EU leaders will meet Thursday in Brussels to decide whether to unlock frozen Russian assets after officials and media cited a higher aggregate of about $246 billion, reviving a Commission proposal to use immobilized securities as the basis for loans to Ukraine.The Commission’s draft scheme outlined earlier this week would use those assets to back a multibillion-euro loan mechanism to repay previous G7 support, provide new loans in 2026 and 2027 and build reserves, with one scenario targeting roughly €90 billion over two years, and the council will also consider a contentious Mercosur trade deal where Giorgia Meloni has not committed.Jorge Liboreiro’s podcast had earlier aggregated about €210 billion held inside the bloc, Belgium and Euroclear warn of legal and reputational risks if their depositories face Russian claims, Ursula von der Leyen has framed the debate as central to Europe’s strategic autonomy and Ulf Kristersson said the outcome is far from clear as Washington has paused new aid to Ukraine.