The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Sergey Lavrov, declared that there are no legal means to confiscate frozen Russian assets, emphasizing that such efforts resemble piracy.
In an interview with RIA Novosti, Lavrov accused the European Commission of cynicism regarding its interpretation of the UN Charter and other international legal norms, such as the provisions on sovereign immunity and the inviolable protection of central bank assets.
The EU as a pirate
The Russian Minister stated that the attempts to seize Russian assets constitute fraud and looting, while implying that in Europe, “the old instinctive colonial and piratical mechanisms have awakened.”
On November 5, the Prime Minister of Belgium, Alexander De Croo, announced that his country would support the European Commission’s plan to confiscate the frozen Russian assets, provided that three criteria are met, with the goal of financing the so-called “reparations loan” for Kyiv.
However, on October 23, the same politician had declared that his country would block the seizure of those assets unless the E.U. shared the risks. He added that if Russian funds were used, European countries should prepare for retaliatory measures against Western assets in Russia and allied states. He also reminded that “even during World War II, frozen assets were never touched.”
Earlier, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, had announced Europe’s position regarding the frozen Russian assets.
Trump “had a hard time” convincing Zelensky in negotiations
The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs stated that the United States is facing serious difficulties in its attempts to persuade Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to accept a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.
As Lavrov mentioned, the Americans had promised that they could secure from Zelensky the necessary steps toward achieving peace; however, it became evident that they encountered problems fulfilling those promises.
Furthermore, Lavrov added that the European Union and the United Kingdom are attempting to prevent the United States from moving toward a political-diplomatic resolution of the Ukrainian issue, seeking instead to make Washington part of the “war faction” and fully integrate it into efforts to exert pressure on Moscow.
The Russian Foreign Minister reiterated Russia’s firm stance that it will not abandon its fundamental principles, such as the territorial integrity of Russia and the choices made by the inhabitants of Crimea, Donbass, and Novorossiya (the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro).
As he stated, these issues are not subject to negotiation.
Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, Lavrov emphasized that it cannot be ended without addressing the root causes of the crisis and without taking into account Moscow’s interests.
New START treaty
Lavrov also referred to talks with the U.S. concerning the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), stressing that the U.S. informed Russia it is considering Vladimir Putin’s proposal to suspend the treaty’s restrictions after its expiration in 2026.
“So far, we have not received a substantive response from Washington,” said Lavrov, adding that “the matter is under consideration.”
Previously, Putin had stated that Russia intends to adhere to the treaty’s limits for an additional year, provided that the U.S. reciprocates this move.
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