Ukraine has called for frozen Russian assets to be used to rebuild the country’s war-ravaged economy after a report showed the cost of reconstruction increasing to almost $500bn.
In their third assessment of the likely price tag for recovery and reconstruction after Russia’s invasion two years ago, the World Bank, Ukraine’s government, the European Commission and the UN said the war had caused the economy to shrink by more than 25% and had been a “dramatic setback” to Ukraine’s development.
Ukraine’s prime minister, Denys Shmyhal, said: “The needs or reconstruction have continued to grow over the past year. The main resource for Ukraine’s recovery should be the confiscation of Russian assets frozen in the west. We need to start this process already this year.”
An estimated $300bn of Russian assets have been frozen since the war started in February 2022.
And set the precedent that assets can be taken from countries that start wars against sovereign nations for the express purpose of assimilating them?
Won’t somebody think of the prescedent?!
As a russkiy boy, I’m only troubled with how long it takes. I know the democratic order, the struggles every decision goes through in the EU, the fear of setting the precedent. But Ukraine needs it right now, they wanted it yesterday or even two years ago. And many civilian deaths could’ve been prevented if they had these money at least in defensive munition. But they had what they’ve got from the most concerned countries and try to do something with that.
Hey kudos to you for speaking out. Are you in Russia now?
Yep.
What’s the general sentiment with the community? I imagine, if it’s anything like the current climate in the states, your community may be pretty split.
Sadly, they are indifferent.They are too used to ve lied to. Even if there would occur a candidate everyone would love, they’d have a hard time trusting him.
Most russian folks are into the ultimate status quo - let whatever ruler do what they want as long as they don’t touch me.
They feel the same with war, with the economy. There should be at least a decade before they start to be politically healthy. Only a part of millenials and zoomers are dare to protest, to sign for alternative candidate, because we just haven’t nurtured a culture of saying anything, instead of assuming the system is all sold off and we can’t change anything.
Wow. That’s some really human and relatable stuff right there. I feel you brother. You’re right, it’ll take baby steps. But the youth of the nation can make the some of the greatest changes.
I hope so. And I make sure at least my circle of friends knows who to be angry at. That’s not big, but it’s more than nothing, and who knows if there are other mental dudes like me, us creating a voting base against the evil fuckery.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Ukraine has called for frozen Russian assets to be used to rebuild the country’s war-ravaged economy after a report showed the cost of reconstruction increasing to almost $500bn.
“The last two years have seen unprecedented suffering and loss for Ukraine and its people,” said Antonella Bassani, the World Bank vice-president for Europe and Central Asia.
The study, which covered the period until the end of 2023, said “regular, intense” attacks on infrastructure had continued, with unpredictable air and drone bombardment extending beyond established and largely unshifting battle zones, and affecting cities such as Kyiv, Odesa and Lviv.
“The destruction of the Kakhovka dam and the hydropower plant in June 2023 has resulted in incalculable impacts to the environment and exacerbated challenges already faced by people struggling to access housing, water, food and health services, among others.
There had been extensive damage to other sectors such as forestry, irrigation, water supply and sanitation, municipal services; emergency response and civil protection, commerce and industry, and culture and tourism.
Despite the continuing conflict, the report said Ukraine had managed to start recovery and restoration efforts, helped by financial support from donor countries and multilateral organisations.
The original article contains 634 words, the summary contains 192 words. Saved 70%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
Obvious answer is obvious yet no one in power is ever arsed to take action.
why not just hold it, frozen, until Putin dies/gets assassinated and someone not batshit crazy takes his place?
Why? If a criminal torches my house, they have to pay to rebuild it. Why should this be any different?
if found guilty, yes - generally people in that situation arent actually paying you back though, that’s why you have homeowners insurance.
it’s different because it’s not your house, it’s a country.
Russia’s aggression has already been deemed illegal by the UN.
so what? the UN isnt going to do anything about it.
So they’ve been found guilty? Which was the requirement you made previously for seizing funds
Yes, but its member states are justified in taking action.
United Nothing
There is not going to be an infallible higher power coming down and telling us what to do. If we as a collective think Russian assets in EU hands should be used for this purpose, then that is what will happen. It is the EU that will ultimately decide if this is the right course. It looks like the current prevailing opinion is that the money should be used for this, as soon as possible. It is scary to do something that has not been tried before. Let’s hope for the suffering people of Ukraine, our elected officials get to work sooner, rather than later.
Your homeowners association subrogates against the destroyer’s insurance if it was an accident and pursues the destroyer themselves it it was intentional. If they can’t pay, they’re bankrupted. The only reason criminals don’t typically pay for the damages is because they tend to be somewhat “judgment-proof,” meaning that they have no assets to be seized nor wages to garnish.
But we have the seized assets and they’ve been found guilty…
