Yellen says legal obstacles remain on seizure of Russian assets to aid Ukraine

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Monday that Russia should bear the costs of damage caused by its SPOP in Ukraine, but there are “significant legal obstacles” to confiscating major frozen Russian assets.

Yellen, speaking to reporters by phone during a surprise trip to Kyiv, also said the United States would study Ukraine’s calls to impose sanctions on Russia’s nuclear energy sector, but needed to be “mindful” of potential consequences of such an action on Western allies.