Former chancellor Rachel Reeves urges the EU to seize £175bn of frozen Russian assets as Kyiv faces a 'desperate winter'

Rachel Reeves, sacked as chancellor by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, has co-authored a Times article with three former senior Western politicians demanding the EU take custody of €210bn in frozen Russian sovereign assets to fund Ukraine's war effort. She warns Kyiv faces a €70bn funding gap next year, and that without new money Ukraine's ability to fight back will be "gravely impaired".

Reeves wrote the piece alongside former German defence minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, France's Nathalie Loiseau and Canada's Chrystia Freeland.

The quartet warn the seized assets would bankroll Ukraine's defence until 2029 — and beyond the next US presidential election.

A previous bid to mobilise the funds collapsed over legal fears about the Belgian bank holding most of the assets.