The United States discussed plans to provide Ukraine with a loan paid out with Russian assets that have been frozen since the start of the war. The bulk of frozen Russian assets lie in Europe, and the European Union has announced its plans to “make Russia pay” by allocating those assets to Ukraine to fund its war against Russia directly.
Ukraine will receive $1.6 billion in frozen Russian assets this July, according to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen who spoke at the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2024 on June 11. She stated that 90% of stolen Russian funds will go directly to defense, while the other 10% will be put toward the reconstruction effort. “My friends we have always said that Russia must be held accountable for its crimes and now we make Russia pay,” von der Leyen said.
I already noted that President Joe Biden said Ukraine will receive a loan of up to $3.7 billion through 2025. The elites claim these funds amount to money that the Russian oligarchs stole from the Russian people, but that is simply not the case. The West has confiscated assets from a foreign nation during a time of peace as Ukraine is not in the NATO alliance. Now the West is using those illegally confiscated assets to attack its adversary. This is complete and total economic warfare.
No one knows where the money that is packaged as Ukrainian aid actually goes. Portions are funneled back into the military-industrial complex and paid out to the very nations supplying aid. Everyone acts on the invisible hand in their own best interest. None of these aid packages were meant to be a handout, and Ukraine would suffer the repercussions.
Russia was patient as the West held their citizen’s wealth hostage. Putin has said numerous times that he is fighting a war with the West and not Ukraine at this point in time. Russia would have easily defeated Ukraine had there been no interference, and Russia would have never invaded in the first place had their been no interference (see: Minsk Agreement). Boris Johnson took it upon himself to go to Ukraine the moment peace was on the table to foil that plan.
Economic warfare is now on the table. China has been watching. Europe and the US are not at war in China, Taiwan is not in NATO, but nothing is preventing them from seizing Chinese assets over Taiwan and claiming that they are merely fighting for freedom. There is no longer respect for international law; the rules no longer apply.