Putin ally Dmitry Medvedev claimed Romania is “not a nation,” rejecting a call for Moscow to return the country’s confiscated gold. The EU has demanded the return of 91.5 metric tonnes of gold and cultural artefacts that were exported to the Russian Empire in 1916-1917 by Romania. Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the Romanian debts to Russia and the Soviet Union are equivalent to 1,365–1,665 tonnes of gold. Zakharova said the debt is 20–25 times greater than the value of the entire Romanian gold reserve sent to Russia in 1916–1917.