Defiant Putin says Europe are 'robbers'

VLADIMIR Putin branded European leaders “robbers” for their plan to use frozen Russian cash to fund Ukraine’s war effort.

- BY MATT CLEMENSON

In a four-hour televised press conference and viewer phone-in, he also promised “no more wars” if his country is treated with respect.

And he claimed his troops have “fully seized strategic initiative” on the front line in Ukraine and would make territorial gains this month.

The Kremlin leader fired another warning shot at the West over the £210bn of frozen Russian money — mainly held in Belgian bank accounts.

Ukraine is running out of cash and president Volodymyr Zelensky has said without funding by spring his country “will have to reduce production of drones”. Allies want to use the frozen Russian assets to help.

Circus

But yesterday European Union leaders meeting in Brussels could not resolve disagreements with Belgium that would have freed it for use.