Russia’s ambassador to Germany, Sergey Nechayev, has warned of “long-term consequences” for the European Union over plans to use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s war against Russia.

In a statement on Thursday, Nechayev said any handling of Russian sovereign assets without Moscow’s approval would be considered “theft,” adding that seizing government funds would have serious repercussions.

The ambassador further said the “unprecedented move” could damage the EU’s commercial reputation and entangle European governments in endless legal disputes.