• Offene Briefe

Letter to the European Commission – Make Putin Pay

High Representative of the Union

for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

Vice-President Josep Borrell Fontelles

European Commission

Rue de la Loi, 200

1049 Brussels.

CC : Commissionner Didier Reynders,

CC : Commissionner Johannes Hahn

CC : Commissionner Mairead McGuinness

Dear High Representative, Dear Vice-President Borrell,

Ukraine´s physical infrastructure and its production capacity are being devastated by the unjustifiable invasion of Russia. Schools, hospitals, museums and its cultural heritage are gone, and with them the basis of Ukrainian social infrastructure. The resilience of the Ukrainian people is without doubt, but an enormous effort will be needed to fund its reconstruction.

President Zelensky said that the damages suffered by Ukraine since the invasion on 24^th February amount to $550 billion. As the war wages on, it is difficult to know the total cost of rebuilding Ukraine, but some economists have estimated it on several hundred billion euros, while some say this sum could reach even a trillion euros.

The question of fairness of who must pay for the unprovoked ravaging and plunder of Ukraine is one we must pose ourselves now. It is only legitimate that the aggressor and responsible of such destruction is responsible of its reparation. Equally, it is also fair that the aggressor contributes to finance the defence of Ukraine.

Currently, Russia’s frozen international reserves, amounting to about $300 billion, should be a major source of funding for the rebuilding and arming of Ukraine. According to the article published on the New York Times on 15th April 2022 ‘$ 100 Billion Russia´s Treasure in the U.S should be turned against Putin´ existing legal frameworks pose difficulties to the seizure and liquidation of Russian assets for the defence and reconstruction of Ukraine. This has not deterred legislators in the US that are already are exploring new legislation to this end.

Moreover, Europe´s solidarity with Ukrainian refugees and the will to offer a dignified and humane protection, as granted by the Temporary Protection Directive, could amount to up to 40 billion € for all EU Member States in 2022 alone, according to the estimation of some Think Tanks(¹⁾. It is equally fair that Russia´s state assets are also dedicated to support the victims of Putin aggression.

The European Commission must put forward an urgent legislative proposal providing a clear framework allowing to redeploy Putin´s treasure to protect and rebuild Ukraine. It should also lead in the coordination with international partners the set-up a reconstruction and defence fund endowed with Russia´s frozen international reserves.

Kindest regards,

• Domènec Ruiz Devesa, S&D
• Danuta Hübner, EPP
• Guy Verhofstadt, Renew
• Daniel Freund, Greens
• Massimo Castaldo, NI
• Juan Fernando López Aguilar, S&D
• Andrius Kubilius, EPP
• Vlad Gheorghe, Renew
• Michèle Rivasi, Greens
• Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, ECR
• Mario Furore, NI
• Marek Paweł Balt, S&D
• Michael Gahler, EPP
• Luis Garicano, Renew
• Viola von Cramon, Greens
• Beata Kempa, ECR
• Juozas Olekas, S&D
• Ausra Maldeikiene, EPP
• Maria Soraya Rodíguez Ramos, Renew
• Rasmus Andresen, Greens
• Roberts Zile, ECR
• Pierre Larrouturou, S&D
• Radoslaw Sikorski, EPP
• Urmas Paet, Renew
• Mikulas Peksa, Greens
• Witold Jan Waszczykowski, ECR
• Raphaël Glucksmann, S&D
• Alexander Yordanov, EPP
• Karin Karlsbro, Renew
• Mounir Satouri, Greens
• Anna Zalewska, ECR
• Tonino Picula, S&D
• Tomasz Frankowski, EPP
• Billy Kelleher, Renew
• Thomas Waitz, Greens
• Elzbieta Kruk, ECR
• Attila Ara-Kovács, S&D
• Maria Walsh, EPP
• Andrus Ansip, Renew
• Damien Careme, Greens
• Dace Melbarde, ECR
• Klára Dobrev, S&D
• Radan Kanev, EPP
• Michal Šimečka, Renew
• Malte Gallée, Greens
• Dominik Tarczynski, ECR
• Sándor Ronai, S&D
• Rasa Juknevičienė, EPP
• Michal Wiezik, Renew
• Niklas Nienaß, Greens
• Peter Lundgren, ECR
• Csaba Molnár, S&D
• Jerzy Buzek, EPP
• Martin Hojsik, Renew
• Henrike Hahn, Greens
• Charlie Weimers, ECR
• Miapetra Kumpula-Natri, S&D
• David Lega, EPP
• Katalin Cseh, Renew
• Francisco Guerreiro, Greens
• Adam Bielan, ECR
• Robert Biedroń, S&D
• Maria Carvalho, EPP
• Lucia Duris Nicholsonova, Renew
• Sergey Lagodinsky, Greens
• Geert Bourgeois, ECR
• Eero Olavi Heinäluoma, S&D
• Eugen Tomac, EPP
• Hilde Vautmans, Renew
• Henrike Hahn, Greens
• Lukasz Kohut, S&D
• Liudas Mazylis, EPP
• Javier Nart, Renew
• Isabel Santos, S&D
• Janusz Lewandowski, EPP
• Charles Goerens, Renew
• Eric Andrieu, S&D
• Vladimír Bilcik, EPP
• Malik Azmani, Renew
• Thijs Reuten, S&D
• Riho Terras, EPP
• Caroline Nagtegaal, Renew
• Nora Mebarek, S&D
• Ewa Kopacz, EPP
• Bart Groothuis, Renew
• Monica Semedo, EPP
• Malik Azmani, Renew
• Ljudmila Novak, EPP
• Caroline Nagtegaal, Renew
• Adam Jarubas, EPP
• Dacian Ciolos, Renew
• Krzysztof Hetman, EPP
• Petras Austrevicius, Renew
• Miriam Lexmann, EPP
• Ramona Victoria Strugariu, Renew
• Sandra Kalniete, EPP
• Vlad-Marius Botoș, Renew
• Benoit Lutgen, EPP
• Alin Mituta, Renew
• Traian Băsescu, EPP
• Bernard Guetta, Renew
• Karolin Braunsberger-Reinhold, EPP
• Olivier Chastel, Renew
• Angelika Niebler, EPP
• Frédérique Ries, Renew
• Andrzej Halicki, EPP
• Nicolae Stefanuta, Renew
• Inese Vaidere, EPP
• Karen Melchior, Renew
• Niclas Herbst, EPP
• Irena Joveva, Renew
• Dragoș Pîslaru, Renew
• Izaskun Bilbao Barandica, Renew
• Ivars Ijabs, Renew
• Nicola Beer, Renew