Exclusive-Ukraine hits out at Europe's payout from frozen Russian cash

FILE PHOTO: Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot, European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders, International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan and Ukrainian Deputy Justice Minister Iryna Mudra prepare for a family photo at the international peace conference 'Restoring Justice for Ukraine', in The Hague, Netherlands, April 2, 2024. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw/File Photo

KYIV/BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Ukraine's government has criticised a decision to take billions of euros of Russian wealth frozen in Europe and hand it to Western investors, warning that it weakened Europe's stand against Moscow.

The criticism follows a move last month by Belgium's Euroclear to take 3 billion euros ($3.4 billion) of Russian investor cash held at the clearing firm to pay Westerners who lost out when Moscow seized their money held in Russia.