403
Sorry!!
Error! We're sorry, but the page you were
looking for doesn't exist.
Moscow claims London is guilty of ‘piracy’
(MENAFN) Moscow has accused the United Kingdom of engaging in modern-day piracy after former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called for the confiscation of Russian assets frozen in the West due to Ukraine-related sanctions.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized Sunak’s stance, comparing it to England’s historical practice of state-sanctioned piracy. “This is one of the English traditions, like tea drinking and horse racing,” she wrote on Telegram, adding that in the past, British pirates were forbidden from attacking their own ships but allowed to loot foreign vessels.
Sunak’s comments, made in a post on X (formerly Twitter), urged Western governments to seize the estimated $300 billion in Russian central bank assets currently immobilized in Western financial institutions, mainly held in a Brussels-based securities depository. “Now is the time to seize [the assets] and make Russia pay,” he declared, arguing that failure to act could result in the funds being returned to Moscow and used for future conflicts.
The UK has consistently supported confiscating Russian assets. Last month, Foreign Secretary David Lammy advocated for transitioning from freezing to outright seizure. Earlier this month, Britain announced a $2.84 billion loan to Ukraine, backed by revenue generated from frozen Russian assets—an act that Moscow denounced as illegal and vowed would need to be repaid.
Meanwhile, discussions over Russia sanctions are ongoing. The EU’s economic restrictions require renewal every six months, with the next vote set for July. Hungary has signaled it may veto the extension, while U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested sanctions could be lifted if a peace deal in Ukraine is reached.
Despite Moscow’s warnings of repercussions, the European Parliament has urged EU nations and G7 partners to seize frozen Russian assets “immediately” to continue funding Kiev’s war effort. The Kremlin has repeatedly condemned these actions as “theft” and vowed retaliation if the assets are permanently confiscated.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized Sunak’s stance, comparing it to England’s historical practice of state-sanctioned piracy. “This is one of the English traditions, like tea drinking and horse racing,” she wrote on Telegram, adding that in the past, British pirates were forbidden from attacking their own ships but allowed to loot foreign vessels.
Sunak’s comments, made in a post on X (formerly Twitter), urged Western governments to seize the estimated $300 billion in Russian central bank assets currently immobilized in Western financial institutions, mainly held in a Brussels-based securities depository. “Now is the time to seize [the assets] and make Russia pay,” he declared, arguing that failure to act could result in the funds being returned to Moscow and used for future conflicts.
The UK has consistently supported confiscating Russian assets. Last month, Foreign Secretary David Lammy advocated for transitioning from freezing to outright seizure. Earlier this month, Britain announced a $2.84 billion loan to Ukraine, backed by revenue generated from frozen Russian assets—an act that Moscow denounced as illegal and vowed would need to be repaid.
Meanwhile, discussions over Russia sanctions are ongoing. The EU’s economic restrictions require renewal every six months, with the next vote set for July. Hungary has signaled it may veto the extension, while U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested sanctions could be lifted if a peace deal in Ukraine is reached.
Despite Moscow’s warnings of repercussions, the European Parliament has urged EU nations and G7 partners to seize frozen Russian assets “immediately” to continue funding Kiev’s war effort. The Kremlin has repeatedly condemned these actions as “theft” and vowed retaliation if the assets are permanently confiscated.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Comments
No comment