Russian aggression is aimed at Ukraine, not the so-called “collective West.” And since this war has nothing to do with the West, the damage to the Ukrainian economy and the destruction of Ukrainian infrastructure is solely Russia’s responsibility, having launched an unprovoked, large-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Pro-Kremlin media outlets are spreading yet another disinformation claiming that the United States, not Russia, is to blame for the prolongation of the conflict in Ukraine. The propaganda outlets claim that this is why the United States will “have to pay” reparations and reimburse Ukraine for the restoration of the destruction “caused by American weapons” in the future.
“The Ukrainian conflict is the result of the United States’ longstanding and deliberate efforts to create a source of tension near our borders, to turn Ukraine into an anti-Russian state… Only if the houses destroyed with American weapons can still be paid for, how will Washington value the lives of innocent people?” Russian media write.
Russia’s claim that the United States “must pay” for Ukraine’s recovery from the consequences of the Russian war is part of the larger narrative of the “aggressive West” and “Russia’s war with NATO.” It is Ukraine, not some kind of “collective West” that is opposing Russian aggression. Therefore, Russia alone is responsible for the damage to the Ukrainian economy and the destruction of Ukrainian infrastructure, as it launched an unprovoked large-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russian media claims that the United States is responsible for the destruction of Ukrainian infrastructure during Russian attacks began to appear against the backdrop of the London Ukraine Recovery Conference on June 21-22. The conference, which brought together representatives of governments and businesses from 59 countries, focused on mobilizing international support for the economic and social stabilization of Ukraine and the further process of recovering the country from the consequences of the Russian war.
The reaction of the Russian media is motivated by anger at Ukraine’s allies, who continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine, but also unanimously support the economic stability of the country, which has been shaken by the war unleashed by Russia. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken emphasized: Russia will in any case have to pay for the restoration of Ukraine destroyed by the occupiers.
“And today, I’m announcing that, with the support of the United States Congress, we will provide more than $1.3 billion in additional aid to help Ukraine toward that goal… Even as we rally around Ukraine’s recovery, we must not lose sight of why that is necessary in the first place. Indeed, even as we come together here in London, committed to supporting Ukraine’s buildup, Russia continues to try to burn it down. So let’s be clear: Russia is causing Ukraine’s destruction, and Russia will eventually bear the cost of Ukraine’s reconstruction,” Blinken summarized.
According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Ukraine’s budget deficit will amount to 60 billion euros over the next four years due to the Russian war. In addition, von der Leyen notes that Ukraine needs another 50 billion euros for urgent recovery. The EU has pledged to support Ukraine’s economy until 2027 and has provided funding for the Ukrainian budget in the amount of 45% of the required amount. The EU will allocate 50 billion euros to Ukraine. This mechanism will be financed in three ways: through grants from the EU budget, loans raised on the capital markets, and finally from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets.
“Every day, we see the devastation brought by Russia to Ukraine. The people of Ukraine are enduring every horror and from every direction: From the sky – fire rains; from the ground – they watch their towns sink underwater. Russia fires missiles at innocent civilians for no other reason than one man’s delusional attempt to restore a lost empire,” Ursula von der Leyen emphasized.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also separately noted that Western countries are currently studying the legal possibilities of using Russian assets frozen around the world. Sunak emphasized that the UK has already taken the first steps to change national legislation, which will allow the transfer of confiscated Russian assets to Ukraine in the future.
“It’s clear that Russia must pay for the destruction that they’ve inflicted. So, we’re working with allies to explore lawful routes to use Russian assets. And on Monday, we published new legislation to allow us to keep sanctions in place until Russia pays up… The British government will continue to play its full part and I’m proud that today we’re announcing a multiyear commitment to support Ukraine’s economy. Over three years, we will provide loan guarantees worth $3 billion,” Rishi Sunak emphasized.
In addition, at the end of 2022, the UN General Assembly has already recognized the expediency of paying reparations to Ukraine by Russia for the damage caused by the war. Russia will pay for the war, in particular, at the expense of its confiscated funds and assets. The aggressor’s funds will be used to compensate for the damage caused by the Russian occupiers to Ukraine. Read more in StopFake’s article Fake: UN General Assembly “Legalized Robbing of Russia”.
