The President of the Ukrainian World Congress, Paul Grod, has called on Western countries to seize frozen Russian assets. This appeal is outlined in his column for the Atlantic Council.
“As Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine enters its third year, the costs of the conflict continue to rise,” writes the UWC President.
The UWC’s Stand With Ukraine global advocacy campaign has already gathered over 650 events in 60 countries worldwide on all continents. These events will see people worldwide rallying to highlight Ukraine’s continuous struggle for freedom. Additionally, the campaign calls on the international community to increase support for Ukraine and advocate for the seizure and reallocation of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine.
“In the coming years, the bill for the reconstruction of the country is expected to be in excess of $500 billion. These are truly staggering sums. Making Russia pay would be the most sensible solution, from both a moral and practical perspective,” UWC President writes.
Paul Grod emphasizes that concerns regarding the confiscation of Russian assets hinder Ukraine’s ability to defend itself every month, costing thousands of Ukrainian lives and resulting in the expansion of Russia’s occupation of Ukrainian territories, along with billions of dollars.
“Finding the right formula to fund Ukraine with Russia’s frozen assets should be an international priority. This will reduce the financial pressure on Western countries and undermine economic arguments against continued international support for Ukraine,” UWC President writes.
To find peaceful rallies in your location, refer to the interactive map created by the Ukrainian World Congress in partnership with Ukrainska Pravda. All campaign materials can also be found by following the link on the Stand With Ukraine page.
