Zelenskyy says frozen Russian assets are Ukrainian money

Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Photo: Babel

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed to allocate part of the funds from frozen Russian assets to fill a special investment fund that will become part of an agreement between Ukraine and the United States on access to Ukrainian mineral resources.

The president made the announcement during a press conference on Sunday.

According to him, Ukraine should not become a debtor, but instead seeks to be an equal partner in this agreement. He also stressed that the United States could invest in the Fund by counting its aid as an investment contribution, and Ukraine could fill it with profits from enterprises and funds from frozen Russian assets.

«Frozen Russian assets are our money. It is ours, not ours and our partners',» the President stressed.

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He explained that $50 billion from the frozen assets of the Russian Federation, together with $50 billion in aid from the United States, could form a $100 billion fund that would be used to develop the Ukrainian economy and extract mineral resources.

Another option for filling the Fund could be the transfer of weapons to Ukraine.

«We need 20 more Patriot systems, which cost $30-35 billion. If the United States provides them, we will consider that they have invested $35 billion, and we will be able to contribute the same amount,» he explained.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that in order to reach an agreement, a personal meeting with US representatives is necessary, which should take place before Donald Trump's potential talks with Vladimir Putin.

Earlier, it was reported that Russia might agree to use $300 billion of frozen assets to restore Ukraine as part of a potential peace deal, but under certain conditions.