The seizure of Russia’s assets by G7 member nations could amount to roughly 83 billion dollars, reflecting the scale of their direct investments in the Russian economy. This assessment, reported by RIA News and based on national statistical services, highlights the financial footprint of Western markets in Russia prior to the current tensions.
At the conclusion of the Italy summit, on June 14, the G7 issued a formal statement confirming plans to back Ukraine with a loan of 50 billion dollars by the end of 2024. The repayment would draw from the proceeds generated by frozen Russian assets, a mechanism intended to support Kyiv amid ongoing hostilities. The move underscores how asset freezes can be leveraged as a funding channel in geopolitical crises.
Data compiled by the agency show that the cumulative direct investments of G7 economies in Russia reached 82.8 billion dollars by the end of 2022. Within this landscape, England stood as the largest investor, with holdings totaling 18.9 billion dollars. Germany followed with 17.3 billion, France with 16.6 billion, and Italy with 12.9 billion. The United States contributed 9.6 billion, Japan 4.6 billion, and Canada 2.9 billion in direct Russian exposure.
Since Russia’s 2022 military actions in Ukraine, Western authorities have frozen the assets of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. The total market value of these frozen holdings has been estimated at about 260 billion euros, with the majority located within the Euroclear settlement system based in Belgium. Last year’s data show these assets yielded roughly 4.4 billion euros in income, with an additional 1.6 billion euros earned since the start of the current year. The net annual profit from these assets could range between 3 and 5 billion euros, contingent on market conditions and regulatory factors affecting asset custody and returns.
Earlier, an ambassador criticized the G7’s approach, arguing that profits derived from Russian assets may lack legitimacy. The dialogue around asset use continues to shape international responses to the crisis and to influence assessments of risk for investors holding exposure to Russia through Western intermediaries. Policy discussions emphasize how freezes, revenue allocations, and repayment mechanisms intersect with sanctions regimes and broader strategies to influence Moscow’s economic options while supporting Ukraine.