White House deems it premature to discuss Russian assets transfer to Ukraine
NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communication John Kirby at the White House (Getty Images)
The United States is negotiating with its allies to transfer frozen Russian assets to Ukraine. But it's too early to talk about it, according to John Kirby, NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communication at the White House.
The journalists ask Kirby whether the United States and the European Union are working on using Russian assets in favor of Ukraine.
"I won’t talk to that specific proposal. But I will say, just broadly speaking, that — that we have talked to many of our allies and partners about what Russia’s role ought to be post-conflict, in — in terms of the restructuring, the — the recovery inside Ukraine long term. But we aren’t at a point right now where — you know, where we can address the specific muscle movements and what that’s going to look like," he says.
At the same time, the White House representative emphasizes that Russia has destroyed a large amount of infrastructure, and killed tens of thousands of lives in Ukraine, and therefore must be held accountable for this in the long run.
However, Kirby believes that it is "too soon to say" about the transfer of Russian assets frozen in the United States and Europe to Ukraine.
Transfer of Russian assets to Ukraine
Recently, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken confirmed that for the first time, Ukraine will receive assets confiscated from Russian oligarchs under sanctions.
According to him, the money will be used to support Ukrainian veterans. This is the first step by the United States in transferring frozen Russian assets to Ukraine.
In addition, the day before, The New York Times said that the United States was urgently discussing with partners the use of frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine.
