20.11.2023, Moscow.
Sergey Belyaev, director of the Second European Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, called the UK’s attempts to formalize conditions for the return of seized Russian assets a fig leaf to cover a shameless robbery in an interview with RIA Novosti on November 20.
Belyaev said that after the start of Russia’s special military operation, the United Kingdom was among the first to impose restrictions on Russian individuals and legal entities and attempt to seize Russian assets under British jurisdiction.
“Nevertheless… London, after almost two years, has still failed to develop an effective mechanism that would allow expropriation of frozen Russian assets. The obstacle to this is the inevitable disastrous consequences for the reputation of the United Kingdom as one of the largest international financial centers,” the diplomat said.
Further, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry department characterized the behavior of the UK authorities, who are trying to make their actions look legitimate. “In these circumstances, the attempts of Western authorities, including the UK, to formalize on paper the conditions for the return of assets belonging to Russia are nothing more than a fig leaf to cover the shameless robbery,” Belyaev said.
In conclusion, the diplomat outlined the position of the Russian Federation regarding the actions taken against Russia by the authorities of Western countries. “The leadership of our country has already repeatedly stressed that the Russian side reserves the right to take all necessary retaliatory measures in the form and volume deemed necessary to neutralize the relevant threats of the West,” the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman stressed.
According to the statements of the EU representatives, $24.5 billion of assets of the Central Bank of Russia have been frozen in the EU member states. In total, about $300 billion of the Russian Central Bank’s funds have been blocked in various countries of the world as a result of anti-Russian sanctions, of which $100 billion – in the United States.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
