France to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine howitzer upkeep (Photo: AP)

France will tap income from frozen Russian assets to help maintain some 60 French-made Caesar howitzers delivered to Ukraine, France's foreign minister said on Friday.The announcement came during a visit by EU foreign ministers to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, where they approved the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Russia's top leadership over the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.Since the war started, the European Union and G7 nations have frozen some 300 billion euros ($327 billion) in Russian Central Bank assets, according to the EU, as well as private assets like yachts and real estate. "By mobilising income from frozen Russian assets, France... will be able to ensure the continued maintenance of the Caesar cannons it has supplied to Ukraine to help resist Russian attacks," said Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.

During Friday's meeting, the EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas said the bloc had pledged an additional one billion euros to strengthen Ukraine's defence industry."We want peace, and today the only obstacle to peace is in Moscow, parading around under the name of Vladimir Putin," said Barrot, adding that pressure must be put on the Russian leader to agree to a ceasefire.The announcement coincided with Moscow's large Red Square military parade, where Putin, in front of key allies including China's Xi Jinping, vowed Russia would be victorious in Europe. With US President Donald Trump threatening to withdraw American support, European leaders are stepping up efforts to bolster Ukraine and strengthen its position ahead of potential peace talks.EU countries are already using income from frozen Russian assets to help arm Ukraine and finance its post-war reconstruction, a windfall worth 2.5 to three billion euros a year.