#об'єднане королівство

[tomorrowusa]

Russia started its unprovoked full scale invasion of Ukraine 864 days ago. Putin knows he cannot win the war but he continues it despite enormous losses of Russian military personnel and equipment. And he certainly hasn't done anything for Russia's reputation as a competent military power.

If these sorts of losses don't do anything to make Russia change course, it's time to seize Russian assets and use them to defend and rebuild Ukraine. But there's some reluctance to do so in some countries.

The biggest slice of the pie is Russian state assets (reserves of the Russian Central Bank, Russia’s central financial institution) – approximately $300 billion. They’ve been frozen in banking institutions across the G7 countries. So why are these assets parked there in the first place? At the time of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia kept some assets in money and securities abroad in reliable banks, scooping up foreign currency. The lion’s share of these assets, €192 billion, is held in Euroclear, a financial institution headquartered in Brussels specializing in the safekeeping and settlement of securities. The rest of the assets’ exact size and location are a bit of a mystery since that information is classified, but it’s a safe bet that a hefty chunk is in the USA.

The USA, you say? Now that the US Supreme Court has given presidents immunity, Biden should just scoop up all that Russian loot and put it into an account which Ukraine could draw from for its national security and reconstruction. 😉

Our G7 partners are a bit more skittish about seizing Russian assets. This is what happens when certain countries become too dependent on Russian fossil fuels and other trade with Russia.

One big step forward to the confiscation of these funds was the US passing the REPO (Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians) Act on 23 April 2024. While successfully implementing it depends on further actions and certifications, the REPO Act lays out a legal mechanism for asset confiscation, gives the President the power to start the confiscation process, and allows for coordination with G7 countries, the EU, and other partners. It could potentially give Ukraine access to several billions of Russian sovereign assets located in the US. However, the G7 did not follow the US’s lead. Instead, on 3 May 2024, the Financial Times reported that the G7 was no longer considering a full confiscation of frozen Russian assets for Ukraine, with an official saying that these assets could be used as leverage in potential peace negotiations with Russia. This stance fails to recognize Russia’s true objectives and the pointlessness of using these assets as a bargaining chip, given Russia’s continued escalation of aggression and substantial revenues from fossil fuel exports.

On a slightly different note, the change in government in the UK will make no difference regarding support for Ukraine. It's one area where Labour and the Conservatives see eye to eye. Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited President Zelenskyy in Kyiv last year.

Sir Keir spoke with President Zelenskyy on Friday – his first day in office.

Zelenskyy had a conversation with the new British Prime Minister: an unprecedented agreement was discussed

[xistoryshow-blog]

Цей день в історії. 4 червня: * 907 — завершення періоду правління в Китаї династії Тан * 1070 — перша письмова згадка про сир Рокфор * 1286 — Королівство Єрусалимське було об'єднане під владою короля Кіпра Генріха II * 1500 — Київ, згідно з Магдебурзьким правом, був звільнений від усіх торгових мит * 1630 — Тарас Трясило під Переяславом розгромив поляків на чолі з Конецпольським * 1664 — Новий Амстердам перейменували на Нью-Йорк * 1665 — Іспанська королева Марія Анна Австрійська підписала указ про перейменування Розбійничих островів на Маріанські * 1771 — Дансько-норвезький мореплавець Вітус Йонас Беринг відкрив Аляску * 1775 — 4-5 червня (за іншими даними 15-16 червня) за наказом Катерини II російські війська під командуванням генерала П.Текелі зруйнували Запорізьку Січ * 1865 — в американському штаті Огайо скоєно перше в історії пограбування поїзда * 1874 — відбулися перші загальні збори Товариства ім. Т. Г. Шевченка * 1921 — у Франції вперше представлено парфуми «Шанель» («Chanel № 5») * 1942 — почалась битва за Мідуей, одна з найнерівніших битв 2-ї Світової війни * 1954 — Прем'єр-міністри Франції та В'єтнаму Жозеф Ланьє і Буу Лок підписали у Парижі договір «про повну незалежність В'єтнаму» * 1989 — акція протесту на майдані Тяньаньмень в столиці Китаю, Пекіні, була жорстоко придушена танками, загинуло сотні громадян. #tagsapp #igglobalclub #igphoto #ighub #igersoftheday #ig_worldclub #ignation #igaddict #iger #igs #igmasters #igdaily #igers #instagrammania #instagramphoto #instagrames #instagrams #instagramm #instagramdaily #instagramaddict #instagrammer #instagramer #instagraphy #instagallery #ig #instag #instagood #instagold #instagram #instagrammers (at Ukraine) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByRi-JKIq07/?igshid=1u2fimstmrb62

[chenewsnet]

Великобританія продовжить підтримувати реформи в Україні – Мей Глава уряду Великобританії Тереза Мей заявила, що Об'єднане Королівство продовжить підтримувати реформи в Україні, повідомляє прес-служба британського Кабінету Міністрів у Twitter.

[tomorrowusa]

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Western Europe to make the case for military jets to shoot down Russian missiles and deter any new aggression by Putin’s army.

His first stop was London where he was well received.

In a historic address to members of the Commons and the Lords at Westminster Hall, Zelenskiy made the call in a speech lavishing praise on Britain’s leadership in the world, and was immediately backed by Zelenskiy’s firmest British ally, Boris Johnson.

The former prime minister said: “It is time to give Ukraine the extra equipment they need to defeat Putin and bring peace to Ukraine.’’ He said “the best single use of the 100 Typhoon planes in the UK’s possession is to deploy them now for the protection of Ukraine”, adding, “the faster we do it the better”.

At a joint press conference with Zelenskiy after reviewing the training of Ukrainian troops on a Challenger 2 tank simulator in Dorset, Sunak said “nothing was off the table”. The prime minister said the UK provision of planes was “part of the conversation” but that the very immediate need was for longer-range missiles and tanks, something the UK was providing and showing global leadership.

Zelenskyy presented a pilot’s helmet with an inscription from Ukraine’s top gun to House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

He was also invited to Buckingham Palace where he met King Charles III.

King Charles Hosts Ukraine's President Zelenskyy at Buckingham Palace During Surprise Visit to the U.K.

And late Wednesday he arrived in Paris where he met with President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Ukraine updates: Macron, Scholz meet Zelenskyy in Paris

^^^ Putin would probably be afraid these days to enter a room with a guard holding a real sword.

The only way this war will end for sure is with a clear Russian defeat. So give Ukraine everything it needs (except nukes) to drive out the invaders. The world will be a safer place when Russia starts acting like a normal 21st century country.