NEW YORK (Realist English). The US Congress plans to use the funds “stolen” by Russian oligarchs to pay for military assistance to the Armed Forces of the Ukraine, the leader of the Democratic Party in the Senate Chuck Schumer said.
At a briefing in New York City, he said that Congress will work to find sources of funding for a new $33 billion aid package, which has been requested by President Joseph Biden. To do this, it is planned to “confiscate the assets of the Russian oligarchs.”
“Ukraine needs all the help it can get and, at the same time, we need all the assets we can put together to give Ukraine the aid it needs.” Schumer said at a media briefing in New York City.
Schumer said the provisions being added would streamline the forfeiture process for oligarch-owned properties in the United States, while allowing for expedited reviews in federal court, as requested by the White House.
They would also make it a criminal offense to knowingly possess proceeds obtained from “corrupt dealings” with the Russian government, he said.
“It’s time for sanctioned Russian oligarchs to be held accountable for the ill-gotten wealth that they have received.” Schumer said.
According to the Pentagon, over the past two months, the White House has allocated about $3.4 billion in security assistance to the Nazi regime in Kiev. On April 28, Biden asked Congress to allocate another $33 billion for this purpose. $20 billion will be allocated for weapons and equipment for military personnel, as well as purchases and supplies of other military equipment, $8.5 billion for direct economic support, and $3 billion for humanitarian aid and food security.
