Raiffeisen Bank International is in the news over EU delays on Russian asset sanctions, highlighting Austria’s push to unfreeze assets linked to Oleg Deripaska.
As of October 8, 2025, the EU is advancing a plan to use approximately €140 billion from frozen Russian assets to fund a loan for Ukraine’s war effort. The loan would be repaid only if Russia pays war reparations. The proposal faces legal and political challenges within the EU and strong opposition from Russia, which calls it theft.