By KYIV. Jan 11 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Olena Kondratiuk hopes that the example of Estonia, which intends to be the first among the countries of the European Union to create a legal framework for the effective confiscation of frozen Russian assets and transfer them to Ukraine, will serve as an impetus for similar actions in other EU countries.
"I support this approach and welcome the leadership position of the head of the Estonian government in this matter! I hope that the example of Estonia will become an impetus for other countries and the entire EU. Ukraine and the Ukrainian people have an unconditional and full right to fair compensation for all losses and destruction caused by Russian invasion," she said, commenting on the intention of the Estonian government to prepare and present a mechanism for the confiscation of Russian assets by the end of January even before the European Commission develops a bloc-wide agreement on this issue.
The press service of the Verkhovna Rada apparatus said that, according to Kondratiuk, taking into account preliminary information, EUR20 million of Russian funds have been frozen in Estonia, which is almost UAH 800 million. At the same time, the EU has frozen EUR300 billion of reserves of the Russian central bank and billions of euros that fell under the sanctions of individuals.
Kondratiuk supported the position of Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas on the need for EU members to continue work on ensuring accountability for the crime of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and the use of frozen Russian assets.
According to the deputy speaker, first of all, compensation for Ukraine’s losses should be covered by confiscation of the assets of the aggressor country and terrorist Russian Federation and persons under sanctions responsible for the invasion and numerous war crimes.
"We cannot wait for years and decades for these funds – they are needed to support, renew and restore Ukraine today!" Kondratiuk emphasized.
