(MENAFN) Moscow has firmly rejected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s proposal that Russia should finance Ukraine’s rebuilding, implying that Berlin might actually owe Russia a substantial sum for the Soviet Union’s role in reconstructing Europe after World War II.

During the Ukraine Reconstruction Conference held in Rome on Thursday, Merz asserted that Russia has caused at least EURO500 billion (USD540 billion) in destruction and should be accountable for these costs.

He emphasized that Moscow should not regain access to its frozen assets in Western countries until it agrees to cover the damages.

In response on Friday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissed Merz’s assertions, suggesting that it is time to determine what Russia itself is owed.

She remarked, “We can start with the Western intervention of 1918-1922,” referring to the involvement of British, French, US, Japanese, and German forces who occupied parts of Russia and backed anti-Bolshevik factions during the civil war.

Zakharova further indicated that Germany owes Russia considerably for the Soviet Union’s efforts in liberating and rebuilding both Russia and Europe following World War II.

She also highlighted that “the collapse of the Soviet Union didn’t come cheap for us either,” noting that since Western officials have long acknowledged their role in this, Russia has solid grounds to “get out the calculator.”

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