Russia on Wednesday blasted the US disbursing a $20 billion loan to Ukraine backed by frozen Russian assets as "theft" and "simply robbery" while vowing that retaliation will soon come.
On Tuesday, the Biden administration announced it disbursed the $20 billion loan for Ukraine, to eventually be paid back using interest earned on frozen Russian Central Bank assets, which has been a controversial plan long in preparation.
Washington said it issued the funds as part of the bigger total $50 billion loan being provided by the Group of Seven (G7) nations.
Russia's foreign ministry on Wednesday further said the move "will not go answered". It warned that it has "sufficient capacity and leverage to retaliate by seizing Western assets under its jurisdiction".
In announcing the major action, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen had described the following:
"These funds — paid for by the windfall proceeds earned from Russia’s own immobilized assets — will provide Ukraine a critical infusion of support as it defends its country against an unprovoked war of aggression."
"The $50 billion collectively being provided by the G7 through this initiative will help ensure Ukraine has the resources it needs to sustain emergency services, hospitals, and other foundations of its brave resistance," she added.
This is all part of Biden and NATO allies' efforts to 'Trump proof' future aid and support to Ukraine for years to come. Trump is expected to 'probably' reduce US defense aid to Ukraine. Trump officials have warned that Kiev would see funding greatly reduced or even pulled if it is unwilling to engage Moscow seriously at the negotiating table.
A key rationale of Trump's team in making the case for a necessary and quick winding down of the war is that the West must avoid nuclear confrontation or a WW3 scenario with Russia at all costs.
War-weary populations across Europe and the West are also in favor of peace, all recent polling shows, and Trump has been given a clear mandate by US voters to seek a diplomatic end to the war.
Zelensky has in response said: "What is needed are concrete, strong actions that will force him [Putin] to peace, not persuasion and attempts at appeasement, which he sees as a sign of weakness and uses to his advantage."
