The European Commission has presented its plan to use frozen Russian state assets to help fund Ukraine. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says the proposal would create a reparations loan, drawing on cash balances from immobilized Russian assets in the EU. "We have strong safeguards in place throughout to protect member states and reduce risks as much as possible," von der Leyen told reporters in Brussels. "For example, to ensure that an illegitimate award outside the Union cannot be enforced within.