UK Secretary calls for use of Russian assets in favor of Ukraine, cutting off Russian gas supplies to Europe
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron noted the need to use frozen Russian assets in favour of Ukraine and stop the supply of Russian gas to Europe.
At the panel session "United in Defence. United in Recovery. Stronger together" on the sidelines of the Ukraine reconstruction conference in Berlin on Tuesday, he said the question is what is Putin afraid of they doing? Putin is afraid that they will cut off access to oil, gas and hydrocarbons; and he is afraid that they will turn to these frozen Russian assets. Cameron said that at a minimum, G7 this week they will be able to agree to use the interest from the frozen assets for Ukraine and the money will be able to arrive long before the elections in the United States in November.
The Foreign Minister said the Russians are trying to destroy Ukraine's energy system, gas storage facilities, to take away coal, which is crucial for the metallurgical industry of Ukraine.
Cameron said Germany is a shining example of this, but countries need to do more.
He also said that the UK has already allocated about $15 billion to support Ukraine and assured that assistance will continue as long as needed until Putin's defeat.
According to the Foreign Minister, the battle for the future is the restoration of Ukraine, and in many respects this is what Putin fears most.
Cameron said Putin knows that a successful Ukraine, a reformed Ukraine, a financially successful Ukraine, everything that it can become, is the biggest possible defeat.
In addition, he said the money spent on helping Ukrainians is nothing compared to the amounts that will have to be spent if Ukraine is not successful.
The UK minister said these numbers are nothing compared to what we will have to invest if Ukraine is not successful. They invested 5% of our GDP in defense alone during the Cold War, not to mention 2% or 2.5%. He said what it is spent now, will be saved later, and as a result will be a successful Ukraine.