During his year-end press conference on 19/12, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed a question about European discussions on freezing and using Moscow's assets. He stated that "theft" was not the correct term to describe this European policy.
"Theft is the clandestine taking of property. But here, they do it openly. That is looting. They will face serious consequences for this action," Putin said.
The Kremlin chief also stated that using Russia's frozen assets to finance Ukraine's defense would undermine confidence in the eurozone.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking at the annual press conference in Moscow on 19/12. Photo: AP |
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking at the annual press conference in Moscow on 19/12. Photo: AP
For many months, the European Union (EU) debated whether to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. These assets are estimated to be worth 250 billion USD.
This issue, however, faced opposition from some member states, and the EU could not reach a consensus, forcing it to pursue an alternative plan. Instead of using Russia's frozen assets, the EU announced on 19/12 that it would initially lend Ukraine 90 billion euro (105 billion USD) to aid its economy and military until 2027.
Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, Putin stated that Russia is "not responsible" for any casualties in the war. He asserted, "we did not initiate the war," accusing Ukraine and the West of being responsible for the conflict that began in 2/2022.
The Russian President declared that the "decision-making power" to end the conflict lies with Ukraine and its Western allies, while denying accusations that Moscow is prolonging negotiations. He emphasized Russia's desire to end the conflict peacefully but also noted that the Russian army is "advancing along the entire front line."
President Putin stated that a peace agreement must be "based on the principles" he outlined in his speech at a meeting with senior Russian Foreign Ministry officials in 6/2024. In that speech, Putin demanded Ukraine withdraw all troops from Donetsk and Lugansk and abandon plans to join NATO.
Ngoc Anh (According to AFP, Reuters, CNN)
