Plaid Cymru calls for frozen Russian assets to be used to rebuild Ukraine
Plaid Cymru is calling on the UK Government to follow the EU and Canada in considering the use of frozen Russian assets to help rebuild Ukraine.
The party’s foreign affairs spokesperson in Westminster, Hywel Williams MP, has today (20 February) urged the UK Government to take a more active role in assessing how Russian assets can be used to rebuild Ukraine.
Mr Williams’ intervention comes after the European Union announced last week that it is establishing a working group to explore the option.
The European Union’s working group will carry out a “legal, financial, economic and political analysis” to assess this possibility, the Swedish government said in a statement last Tuesday.
Sweden currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council, which sets the bloc’s political priorities.
In Canada, under the Special Economic Measures Act – Russia Regulations, the Canadian Government intend to use seized Russian assets to help fund the work of re-building Ukraine.
Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced on the 19th of December 2022 that they would start with by pursuing £21.7m of holdings by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.
Canada is the first G7 country to implement such measures.
£266 billion
According to the Russian central bank, approximately £266 billon of Russian foreign reserves are frozen in sanctions-participating jurisdictions, including France, Germany, Japan, the U.S, the U.K., Austria, Canada.
The UK has frozen £18bn of assets belonging to oligarchs and other Russians since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
In the UK, the existing legal method to take the next step and seize these assets in the UK would be to use the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
The UK Government has indicated that work is on-going in this regard.
“Friday will mark a year since the Russian regime’s illegal attack on Ukraine began. In this time, the Ukrainian people have shown remarkable resilience in the face of continued brutal attacks,” Mr Williams, the MP for Arfon, said.
“Those who support, and prop-up Putin’s regime must pay for the damage caused and give compensation to the victims of this unjustifiable invasion. The Russian-linked assets which have been frozen in the UK should be used to support the people of Ukraine, including funding humanitarian efforts and contributing to the reconstruction of the country.
“The UK is currently lagging behind Canada and the EU on this issue. The Foreign Secretary should take a more active role internationally to ensure that Russia pays for the reconstruction of Ukraine.
“The UK must continue to support Ukraine on the path toward peace and pursue accountability for the horrific crimes being committed across Ukraine.”
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Helo friends,
it’s the best bet to get this people out of their warm bed.
How as Cymro we can show such loyalty to a nation that has been attacking their own people because they are 3rd or 4th generation ethnic Russians is beyond me. Listen, it be a bit like if Wales started attacking the ethnic English here once Wales gained its independence. What would England do in that position? Probably the exact same thing. The truth is, many powerful people doesn’t want Russia to exist as a country. Once they are dealt with, China will be next. Going by history and what happened to us, We should know better!!! We should be more… Read more »
Quote
” it be a bit like if Wales started attacking the ethnic English here once Wales gained its independence. What would England do in that position? Probably the exact same thing.”
So what hat would you do in that situation? Would you fight for your country against an invasion? Would that give England the right to annex parts of Welsh territory? That would just make anti-English sentiment in Wales much worse, wouldn’t it.
It would all depend on the goal of said invasion. If they used the Welsh actions against the ethnic English as an excuse to destroy or Annex all of Wales, I’d most definitely fight for my country. However, that being said, if they did what Russia have and formed a defensive line once they accomplished their goal. I’d probably think twice! This ofcourse has been weaponised by the west to make out the Ukrainians have stopped them. When in reality they told the truth, they are only there to protect ethnic Russians. If they wanted to really take over all… Read more »
Er Kyiv, kharkiv and Lviv (ukrainian cities all bombarded by putin’s missiles) are not part of any russian ‘defensive line’ – you’d think bogus accounts operating out of putin’s troll farms wud know that 😉
After They’ve received help from nations who are using Ukraine to pressure Russia. Ukraine picked a side and they received the consequences. Let’s be grown up about it and realise their are no good guys in War. Btw, I’m sure those ethnic Russians of eastern Ukraine will share little sympathy with those in the cities mentioned, after all, they’ve been have peace bombs dropped on them since 2014. I guess some lives really are more important than others.
The reference to russia and china have been copied and pasted, and are doing the rounds on far right sites all over the internet. Very disappointing that nation cymru is allowing pro putin bots to promote that war criminal’s propaganda
I’m not Pro Putin, I’m Pro Peace and not in favour of demonising entire nations. And btw, I have every right to hold a difference of opinion. That’s what democracy is, I’m sure you understand that? Or maybe you don’t. As for being a bot, would that also apply to my Pro Wales posts too?
I must say I agree with you. It’s not as black and white as it seems. And it’s not just ethnic Russians who are being targeted either. Many Romanians living in the Bucovina area of Ukraine are also being attacked. Romanian churches being seized and priests beaten up. Ofnadwy.
Indeed, they literally have kill lists that include over 400 children who are ethnic Russians who speak out about what’s going on over there. I can’t for the life of me understand how people can see it a child would. We good guys, they’d re bad guys…Real life isn’t like that.
Perhaps Plaid should look at getting some English assets redirected to undo the criminal acts of 50+ years ago when the funds for Aberfan disaster were used up by the Brit government of the time and its colonialist coal board executives.
English government!, our government in Cardiff is the true British government, as it represents the true and only nation founded by the Brits, aka, The Cymro! The problem we in Wales face is how too many people believe, and give credence to the English use of the term British.
Lol….youre not fooling anyone far right troll. Now sod off to your brit neo fascist sewer where you belong (you dont speak for or represent anyone in Wales).
You generally don’t know your own nations history! Are you foreign to Britain, or were your ancestors here first? Did the Romans refer to the natives of this Island as British, and was it reference to the People who would become English, or those who’d become Welsh? It’s you if anyone who’s fooling people.
As you are so keen to label people Neo Fascist by anyone who has a different opinion to you then I suggest you do some reading up on The Ukrainian regime which you vocally support.
Are you aware of The Neo Nazi Azov Battalion that is incorporated into The Ukrainian Military.
Also the Neo Fascist collaborator Stepan Bandera is hero worshipped by The Zelensy regime in Ukraine.Bandera was a man who sent tens of thousands of Poles to their deaths at the hands of The Nazis.
The Ukrainian military need all the help that they can get. If I was defending my country I would rather risk of the lives of neo-nazis & throw them into the trenches then risk of the lives of poorly trained conscripts. Plus Russia has the Wagner group. Did Bandera collaborate with the Nazis because they were under Stalin’s regime who killed millions of Ukrainians in the 1930s? The enemy of my enemy is my friend? Granted hero worshipping him is not a good look, but neither is hero worshipping Stalin, who was just as bad as Hitler was. Putin unveiling… Read more »
Every thing Riki says Shows that they have lost the plot
Oh sure, you remember when the famous Anglo Saxons were referred to as British by the Romans. Oh wait, you mean they never! You mean they called those that would become known as the Welsh that. I wonder what academics would think of that? Also, haven’t you heard, I’m a Bot according to some. For no other reason than not liking my opinion.
I don’t believe the Romans and the Saxons (or the Angles either… note that “Anglo-Saxon” has largely been debunked) were in Britain at the same time. Get a grip of our history, eh?
To set you straight on another point of *this* country’s history, it was the Saxons who gave the name “Welsh”.to the British.
Your arguments fall apart with anything other than the slightest scrutiny and you’ll have to do better than that at setting an information space that supports Putin’s imperial expansionist goals 😉
The idea of using frozen assets to help rebuild Ukraine makes sense. Given the closeness of the English Tory Party to Russian oligarchs and money laundering from Russian criminals, the chances of this happening soon are probably slim. I would question whether you have your finger on all the facts Riki. The excuse that Russia used to send in its mercenaries into Eastern Ukraine was to protect the Russian speaking population there. What I have been unable to find out is the background politics to that issue from the Ukrainian side. Was the Ukrainian government discriminating against the Russian speakers?… Read more »
On the point of language, yes Russian speakers were being attacked and there were Frameworks being drawn up to ban the language from being spoken. Something you’d think we’d condemn as a people who’ve had the same thing done to us. It’s crazy how People of Wales will say how corrupt English politics is, yet will believe every narrative given to them on Russia by those Same people and media. Like others, please don’t be under the mistaken belief I’m on Russias side, a false conclusion other seems to be coming to. I’m just trying to explain the position of… Read more »
Why exactly do so many Cymro push back on the historical truth that they are British? History clearly shows that the English use of the term is rather recent. Is it because they are Ignorant or Stupid? I’m really wondering and would like a valid response as to why they see themselves as foreign on their on island. An island named after them and based on their own language.
Btw, I’m British and proud to be. But what people would say in response to that is, well you must pro union, Empire and pro UK, and this my 🇬🇧 flag. But that would only be a conclusion one would draw if they thought that flag was in fact British. It isn’t, it’s a union flag of England Scotland. Two nation that aren’t British. This 🏴 is my flag, and A Proud British flag it is.
I recently realised that The Government of Ukraine has kill lists which include children as young as 14. But I guess that’s acceptable because they speak Russian and don’t want to be ruled by Ukraine. A real Patriot sees his or her countries flaws, and what we are doing is wrong. This blind hatred for Russians is not the way to go about things.
I acknowledge that you don’t support Putin or the invasion, but do you also acknowledge that what the Russians are doing is making the matter ten times worse? How many wars have been justified with ‘Humanitarian Intervention’ being used as an excuse? The fact that Tony Blair and George W Bush were never held to account for the invasion of Iraq 20 years ago is criminal. However the proponents of the war were not wrong when they claimed that Saddam Hussein was a brutal tyrant who killed his own people including thousands of Kurds. The UN Charter specifically states that… Read more »
Good question about Humanitarianism being used to justify wars. But there comes a time when you just can’t sit back and accept what’s going on. As for Protection of Russian speaking Ukrainians being protected under EU conventions, They failed to Carry out the Minsk agreement, so I wouldn’t put much faith in the Ukrainian government willingness to accept any rules imposed by Brussels, or anyone else for that matter. In case anyone else didn’t realise…I’m not on anyone’s side, I just believe you have to call out atrocities, whoever is carrying them out. Fair play, You and one other are… Read more »
“… has kill lists which include…”
Show your proof. Post a link.
Being supportive of Cymru being independent of an England dominated UK and also being supportive or at least understanding of Russia’s ambition to recreate the empire of the old USSR starting with the Ukraine is questionable.
Holding such opinions suggests either they are confused about one or the other or both of those situations or they are not being honest about their support of least one of them
Do you think a Tory Government would do this they the Tory government have had large donations from Russians the expensive empty properties in londonium are owned by Russians Russian dirty money has been circulating around the financial markets the banks know this and the tory government the tories and Putins mob have something in common they are both extreme right wing FASCISTS
Some of it should be used to reduce our energy costs. It should also be used to pay for weapons for Ukraine. Why should UK taxpayers be dumped with all the costs when it was Russia that invaded. They should pay for it not us!