A stand of the Gazprom energy giant, at the 28th International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg (Spief), Russia, on June 18, 2025. Photo: AA / Abaca / Abaca Press / Profimedia
A Hague court has lifted the seizure order on the assets in the Netherlands of the Russian Energy Giant Gazprom, according to a decision published on the court's website, reports Reuters.
The judgment, taken last week, shows that the assets in question are the participation in the actions of Gazprom that the Russian company owns at Wintershall Noordeee and Gazprom International Projects BV.
The seizure on these assets was introduced within two separate processes intended by Ukrainian companies in the field of Slavutich-Invest and Zhniva, which have requested compensation due to losses related to Russia's actions in Ukraine.
However, the Dutch court has ruled that the seizure on Gazprom assets could violate the principle of state immunity, which means that Dutch courts cannot judge the actions of another country or of a state entity.
Ukraine has taken a series of legal actions in international courts to hold Russia for the crimes committed during the war. These legal actions include the efforts of Ukrainian companies to obtain damages, through the courts, for the damages caused by the Russian aggression, notes The Kyiv Independent.
Some of these processes were successful. The Ukrainian State Energy Company Naphtogaz has previously won a trial against the Russian Gazprom company and now requests $ 6.9 billion, in an arbitration process, for the assets confiscated by Russia after the company's annexation in 2014.
Previously, in March 2024, Gazprom tried to sell the assets he owned in the two companies-Wintershall Noordzee and Gazprom International Projects BV, according to the Ukrainian publication. At that time, the initial price was set at 344 million euros ($ 370 million) for a 50% participation in the European Company Wintershall Noordzee and for 100% of the Gazprom International UK Limited branch.
Separately, the countries in the group of seven (G7) blocked about $ 300 billion from Russia's sovereign assets at the beginning of the large -scale war, in 2022, subsequently directing profits to Ukraine's reconstruction and defense.
According to the current Minister of Defense, Denis Șmîhal, who previously held the position of prime minister, Ukraine received over $ 18.5 billion this year from frozen Russian assets, directing funds to projects for fast recovery.
