The move could undermine the European financial system, chief executive Lieve Mostrey has claimed A plan by the G7 to use Russia’s frozen assets as a backstop to issue loans for the reconstruction of Ukraine would pose risks to the financial stability of Europe, Lieve Mostrey, CEO of the Brussels-based clearinghouse Euroclear, has warned.

The central bank had previously hiked rates at five successive meetings over a six-month period Russia’s central bank left its key interest rate unaltered at 16% at its scheduled meeting on Friday, saying that tight monetary policy will be necessary to return stubborn inflation back to target levels.

Membership for Kiev can only come after the conflict with Moscow ends, a State Department official has said Ukraine should not expect to become a NATO member at the bloc’s key summit later this year, a senior US State Department official has said.