Latest news with #Volodin
Qatar Tribune
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Russian parliament leader warns Germany's Merz against escalation
Moscow: The chairman of the Russian parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin, on Saturday warned against an escalation of tensions between his country and Germany in a message to lawmakers in Berlin. 'The current German ruling elite is creating the conditions for an aggravation of the situation and provoking clashes between our countries,' Volodin said in the message to the leaders of Germany's main parliamentary parties. The question is whether the German population wants a confrontation, said the head of the State Duma in Moscow. 'We don't want that. But if it comes to that, then we are ready for it,' said Volodin, citing Berlin's ever greater support for Kiev in the war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year. 'We know that the German government is planning to set up missile production in Ukraine. This means that Germany is increasingly being drawn into military action against Russia,' said Volodin. (DPA)
Saba Yemen
2 days ago
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Volodin: Missile production plans in Ukraine dragging Germany into conflict with Russia
Moscow - Saba: Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin announced on Saturday that missile production plans in Ukraine are increasingly pushing Germany toward conflict with Russia. Sputnik News Agency quoted Volodin as saying in a letter addressed to Bundestag President Julia Klöckner and leaders of political parties in the German parliament: "We know that the German government is planning to start missile production in Ukraine, and in doing so, it is increasingly dragging Germany into military action against Russia. You understand what this could lead to." The Russian State Duma Speaker asserted that the ruling elite in Germany is currently creating the preconditions for escalating the situation, provoking clashes between the two countries. He added: "The question is, do the German people want this or not? We don't want it, but if it happens, we are ready." The German Defense Ministry announced at the end of May, following a meeting between German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and his Ukrainian counterpart, Rustam Umerov, that Germany and Ukraine had signed an agreement to finance the production of long-range weapons within Ukraine. It was also announced that approximately €5 billion ($5.7 billion) in military aid would be allocated to Kyiv, including the provision of air defense systems and ammunition. No precise details were disclosed regarding the type of systems or the value of the contracts. Russia had previously sent a memorandum to NATO countries regarding the flow of Western weapons to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized that any shipment containing weapons to Ukraine would become a legitimate target for Russian forces. Lavrov previously indicated that the United States and NATO were directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine, "not only by sending weapons, but also by training military personnel in Britain, Germany, Italy, and other countries." Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov previously asserted that the West's supply of weapons to Ukraine contradicts a settlement, does not contribute to negotiations, and will even have a negative impact. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (International)
Russia Today
10-03-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
France to seize Russian cash for Ukrainian military
France will use interest accrued on Russian assets frozen in European banks to buy weapons for the Ukrainian military, the country's defense minister, Sebastien Lecornu, has announced. Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin has criticized the decision, stating it contravenes international law. Multiple Western states froze an estimated $300 billion worth of Russian sovereign funds following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. Approximately $213 billion is held by the Brussels-based clearing house Euroclear. The assets have already generated billions in interest, of which Euroclear already transferred €1.55 billion ($1.63 billion) directly to Ukraine last July. In an interview to France's La Tribune Dimanche on Saturday, Lecornu said that 'thanks to interest from frozen Russian assets, we will also tap new funds worth 195 million euros.' He revealed that Paris would use the money to finance the delivery to Kiev of 155-mm artillery shells and glide bombs compatible with the Mirage 2000 fighter jets that France has handed over to Ukraine. The official added that France also plans to supply an unspecified number of armored fighting vehicles, including the AMX-10 RC. Volodin, the chairman of the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, denounced the scheme as contravening international law. 'What is obviously hysteria born of impotence has finally gotten the better of reason,' the MP said on Sunday. Responding to a similar move by the UK on Friday, Volodin warned that London 'will have to give back to Russia what they are now so generously giving away,' adding that Moscow has 'every reason to respond in kind.' The remarks came shortly after Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmigal confirmed that Kiev had received a first tranche worth about $1 billion from London, secured by the proceeds from the Russian assets. Late last year, the US also transferred the first $1 billion installment of a $20 billion US loan backed by interest earned from the immobilized Russian assets. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at the time that 'this money was stolen from us. Our assets have been frozen absolutely illegally, against all norms and rules.' He added that Russia would exhaust all legal avenues to protect its property and rights. While Kiev has long been pressing its Western backers to outright expropriate the frozen Russian assets to finance its military and reconstruction efforts, a number of EU member states, most notably Germany, France, and Italy, have been reluctant to do so, citing legal concerns. The International Monetary Fund has also warned that appropriating the funds without a clear legal basis could undermine global confidence in Western financial institutions.
Russia Today
09-03-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
France to fund Ukrainian military with interest from frozen Russian assets
France will use the interest accrued on Russia's frozen central bank assets to procure weapons for the Ukrainian military, the country's defense minister, Sebastien Lecornu, has announced. Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin criticized the decision, stating it contravenes international law. Following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Western states froze an estimated $300 billion worth of Russian sovereign funds, of which approximately $213 billion is held by the Brussels-based clearing house Euroclear. The assets have already generated billions in interest, of which Euroclear already transferred €1.55 billion ($1.63 billion) directly to Ukraine last July. In an interview to France's La Tribune Dimanche on Saturday, Lecornu said that 'thanks to interest from frozen Russian assets, we will also tap new funds worth 195 million euros.' He revealed that Paris would use the money to finance the delivery to Kiev of 155-mm artillery shells and glide bombs compatible with the Mirage 2000 fighter jets that France has handed over to Ukraine. The official added that France also plans to supply an unspecified number of armored fighting vehicles, including the AMX-10 RC. Volodin, the chairman of the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, denounced the scheme as contravening international law. 'What is obviously hysteria born of impotence has finally gotten the better of reason,' the MP said on Sunday. Responding to a similar move by the UK on Friday, Volodin warned that London 'will have to give back to Russia what they are now so generously giving away,' adding that Moscow has 'every reason to respond in kind.' The remarks came shortly after Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmigal confirmed that Kiev had received a first tranche worth about $1 billion from London, secured by the proceeds from the Russian assets. Late last year, the US also transferred the first $1 billion installment of a $20 billion US loan backed by interest earned from the immobilized Russian assets. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at the time that 'this money was stolen from us. Our assets have been frozen absolutely illegally, against all norms and rules.' He added that Russia would exhaust all legal avenues to protect its property and rights. While Kiev has long been pressing its Western backers to outright expropriate the frozen Russian assets to finance its military and reconstruction efforts, a number of EU member states, most notably Germany, France, and Italy, have been reluctant to do so, citing legal concerns. The International Monetary Fund has also warned that appropriating the funds without a clear legal basis could undermine global confidence in Western financial institutions.
Russia Today
07-03-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
UK will return Russian money it is ‘so generously giving away'
The UK's transfer of the proceeds from Russia's frozen central bank funds to Ukraine is a blatant violation of international law, Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin has said. On Friday, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmigal said that Kiev had received a first tranche worth about $1 billion from the UK, secured by the proceeds from the Russian assets. He said the funds would go toward 'strengthening' Ukraine's defense and voiced hope that all frozen Russian assets would be 'confiscated and transferred' to Kiev. Speaking to reporters later in the day, Volodin said Britain 'will have to give back to Russia what they are now so generously giving away,' adding that Moscow has 'every reason to respond in kind.' Volodin also warned that London's actions would 'undermine confidence' in its financial system, as they 'violate the principle of property inviolability, a cornerstone of the global financial system.' Western countries froze around $300 billion in Russian central bank assets after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Of this total, more than $200 billion is reportedly held at the Brussels-based clearinghouse Euroclear, while up to $30 billion is in the UK. The assets have already generated billions in interest. Euroclear transferred over $1 billion directly to Ukraine last July. Kiev has been pressing its Western backers to expropriate the assets to finance its military and reconstruction efforts. The West remains divided over the fate of the frozen assets. Many EU countries are reluctant to tap the reserves themselves, opting instead for the interest earned on them. Some have raised concerns that seizing the assets could damage the Western financial system and erode trust in the euro. The International Monetary Fund has also warned that taking the funds without a clear legal basis could undermine global confidence in Western financial institutions. The Kremlin has repeatedly denounced the asset freeze as 'theft' and warned of legal action against those involved in the asset seizure.
