Minister of Finance G. Skaistė: “The Aggressor Must Pay”
Minister of Finance Gintarė Skaistė, in an interview given to the French magazine La Chronique d’Amnesty International France, stressed that Lithuania is one of the countries that calls on the international community to use frozen russian assets as one of the main sources for Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, as Lithuania strongly believes that the aggressor must pay for it.
“The reconstruction of Ukraine will require huge funds, therefore the aggressor russia must be held accountable for its actions and pay for the damage caused. The assets of the russian central bank must be seized as soon as possible not only supporting Ukraine in the war, but also preparing for the next phase of Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, — says the Minister of Finance. — In collaboration with all G7 countries and implementing the agreement of the 10th package of sanctions on the identification of frozen reserves of the russian central bank adopted in February, we need to find ways how to use these assets for Ukraine’s needs”.
According to G. Skaistė, the latest figures published by the World Bank speak for themselves: the cost of reconstruction of the country is estimated at more than EUR 400 billion. This is why the 10th package of EU sanctions adopted in February aims to further increase pressure on russia and expand the sanctions regime, thus continuing the seizure of assets.
“There are those who say that international law does not allow it. Therefore, if the current rules are not consummate, without hesitation, let us create the new ones. The situation is exceptional and requires the same exceptional solutions. The Kremlin is currently led by a war criminal who has been issued a warrant by the International Criminal Court. That is why we must not stop and move forward boldly on applying sanctions and look for new solutions that have never been applied. Lithuania has been subjected to repression by the Soviet Union, so we clearly know its price and show value leadership in mobilising the support for Ukraine," Ms. G. Skaistė stressed to magazine La Chronique d’Amnesty International France.
Another issue discussed by the international community is to invest the frozen funds of russian institutions in financial markets and to redistribute profits to Ukraine. However, according to Minister Skaistė, this could only be a temporary measure generating a profit of several billion euros. This amount would be negligible for Ukraine’s reconstruction, therefore the main goal – to use frozen russian assets – must be fulfilled.
Last updated: 29-05-2023
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