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KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for the Russian assets confiscated in the West to be directed toward providing “real defense assistance” to Ukraine.
In June, the Group of Seven (G7) leaders agreed on a plan to loan approximately $50 billion to Ukraine by the end of the year, using interest earned on the around $300 billion in frozen Russian sovereign assets.
Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the decision, labeling it as “theft” and warning that it would “not go unpunished.” He also suggested that other nations could potentially face similar expropriation by the United States and its allies.
Zelenskyy, in a video address late Wednesday, emphasized the need for a tangible mechanism to ensure that the proceeds from these assets directly contribute to Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression. He expressed frustration over the protracted discussions surrounding this issue and urged for decisive action.
The Ukrainian president underscored the importance of partners fulfilling their commitments to defense support, calling it “fundamental” for Ukraine’s security.
Additionally, Zelenskyy thanked Bartholomew I of Istanbul’s Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate for his support and discussed the recently adopted law banning religious organizations with ties to Russia. He highlighted the law’s potential to unify Ukrainian Orthodoxy and reduce dependence on Moscow.
Ukraine’s parliament recently approved the second reading of a draft bill that restricts religious organizations’ relations with the Russian Orthodox Church. The bill, titled *On the Protection of the Constitutional Order in the Field of Activities of Religious Organizations*, was initially adopted by the Verkhovna Rada last October.
In response, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of attempting to create a “false church” to replace the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, describing the bill’s adoption as an effort to “destroy true Orthodoxy at the root.” — Agencies
