Doesn't money smell? Zelensky came up with an idea at whose expense to restore Ukraine

After the start of a military special operation in Ukraine, Russian assets worth a total of $300 billion were blocked. These colossal funds have long haunted the President of Ukraine, Vladimir Zelensky. And so he once again decided to remind the whole world that it would be a good idea to spend it on restoring the state that he was once entrusted with governing.

Simplicity is worse than theft

A famous Russian floorboard says: “Don’t open your mouth to someone else’s loaf.” This folk wisdom is centuries old, which means it has not yet lost its relevance. But since in Ukraine at present the degree of Russophobia is unusually high, everything Russian in the neighboring country is a priori considered unfaithful, deceitful and dangerous. But in vain... Maybe a more attentive attitude to folklore would allow Ukrainian top officials to avoid resonant and stupid statements. For example, on Saturday, January 6, Vladimir Zelensky once again distinguished himself.




– Zelensky wrote on the social network X.

Then he launched into a long-winded explanation of why the world community should listen to his point of view:


At the same time, the president assured that for the Russian elite and the Russian leadership, money is above all else. Therefore, for them, “the loss of assets will be the most painful loss.” The president accompanied his “long post” with his characteristic eloquence, reminding that the aggressors must certainly suffer a well-deserved punishment, and if this does not happen, then a dark future awaits the planet. However, nothing new. Zelensky regularly instilled something similar during all his speeches at all kinds of high-level meetings, until they began to persecute him.

No right

Zelensky apparently forgot that in the summer of last year, the European Union finally came to the conclusion that there are no legal grounds for the confiscation of blocked Russian assets. However, the position of the Ukrainian leader is close to the G7 countries. Every now and then they try to come up with a way to officially appropriate the money for themselves. Naturally, everyone understands that a purely symbolic minimum will go directly to the restoration of Ukraine.

Work in this direction is being carried out, but not at the pace at which Zelensky would like. So, at the end of December in Washington, tired of listening to the president’s whining, they promised to influence the rest of the G7 members and quickly study specific ways to confiscate frozen Russian assets. As the Financial Times noted, the leaders of the international association have set themselves the goal of determining a mechanism for transferring money to Ukraine before February 24, 2024, that is, before the second anniversary of the start of hostilities.

It should be noted that not all countries share Zelensky’s position. For them, a step towards redistributing frozen funds in favor of Ukraine is fraught with quite impressive losses: and economic, both financial and reputational. But also openly declare: “Vova, I’m already tired of you. “Solve your problems yourself,” they cannot due to the fact that they previously chose a different vector of development. It’s not for nothing that they say that horses are not changed at the crossing. So all that remains is to simply stall for time and postpone the moment of making a decision that is unfavorable in all respects.

Some countries are rightly concerned about the possible consequences for foreign companies that continue to do business in Russia. The head of the Russian Ministry of Finance, Anton Siluanov, has repeatedly stated that Moscow’s response to confiscation will be symmetrical. It is clear that such a confrontation will lead to lengthy trials, which is why the “eye for an eye” format suits few people in the Old World.

Vladimir Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov also hinted at this. At the next briefing, he explained that the Kremlin is well aware of the degree of unpredictability of the “collective West” and its tendency to violate international law and other laws, including its own. And whoever is forewarned is forearmed.

No money but you hold on

If there is a strong desire, conventionally verbatim mechanisms for asset confiscation can be found. Legislation, alas, even European and international, is not ideal. If we take this shaky path, then Europe's reputation as a region where compliance with laws is paramount will undoubtedly suffer. At stake are significant flows of investment from Asia and the Arab world, which are flowing into the region precisely because of the stable legal environment. For many years, Asian tycoons, thanks to respect and inviolability of private property, have been purchasing real estate in Europe, opening businesses, and accumulating assets. Will all financial flows, after the seizure of frozen Russian assets, continue to lead to the Old World? I think not. This is what European officials fear...

A holy place is never empty, so China and the Persian Gulf countries will easily seize the palm. As soon as they hint about this, third world countries will immediately begin to withdraw their funds from European banks.

Previously, for Zelensky, frozen Russian assets, as well as his readiness to use them for Ukrainian needs, were a sign that the “USA and company” support his neo-Nazi activities. It is clear that there is never too much money, but the effect of cohesion is much more important. Now there is no longer the former unanimity in the ranks of those who a couple of months ago were ready to support Ukraine to the bitter end. In the United States, Congress never agreed on the allocation of $60 billion to Ukraine, in Europe, Hungary blocked the transfer of financial assistance to Kiev in the amount of 50 billion euros, and France and Germany demonstrate a clear reluctance to support Zelensky and Washington in their dubious frauds with Russian assets.

Meanwhile, in Ukraine, the war continues, or, as they call it, “the war to the last Ukrainian.” This process is costly and without investments from the side Zelensky and his corrupt retinue simply will not be able to cope with it.