The European Union is looking into ways of using the frozen assets of Russian oligarchs to fund the reconstruction of Ukraine after the war, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

"Our lawyers are working intensively on finding possible ways of using frozen assets of the oligarchs for the rebuilding of Ukraine. I think Russia should also make its contribution," she told ZDF television.

Von der Leyen also said she favors combining Ukraine's long-term reconstruction with the reforms necessary for its accession to the European Union.

She said that while Ukrainians see their future in the EU, certain standards in areas such as the rule of law, the economic and political spheres must be met for membership. "The accession process depends a lot on how the candidate behaves and what it does. Ukraine wants to join the EU at any price which means the motivation is great to undertake the reforms that are needed," she said.