The summit in Brussels began with an announcement that couldn’t be clearer. “We are faced with a simple question. Money today or blood tomorrow. And I’m not just talking about Ukraine, I’m talking about Europe!” Original sound Donald Tusk, Polish Prime Minister. Poland borders on the Ukrainewhere the tyrant Vladimir Putin has been waging a merciless war for four years. Tusk is close to the action.

So money or blood?

The EU chose money, but unlike what the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had propagated for weeks. Merz made a surprising move at the end of September. His basic idea could be outlined as follows: There are 210 billion euros of Russian state assets in the EU. Since Russia attacked Ukraine, it has forfeited the right to its money. The EU does not confiscate it, but freezes it permanently and uses it as cover for a reparations loan to Ukraine. If the aggressor is one day forced to pay reparations, Ukraine can pay the money back to the EU. Sounds obvious, politically sensible, morally sound.