Tom Allason

Russian assets currently frozen abroad total around $300 billion. They must be put to use in support of Ukraine. This is a historic opportunity to make the terrorist state pay for its terror. The Russian elite and leadership do not care about human lives, but they do care about money above all else. For them, losing assets will be the most painful loss. They will sense the true strength of the international community and see that the world is stronger than terror. The decision to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine will be an entirely just and legitimate response to Russia's aggression against Ukraine. It will send the right message to all would-be aggressors around the world: attacking another state does not pay off; it makes the aggressor pay. I encourage partners to move quickly on relevant legal frameworks. This year, we must achieve tangible progress toward using frozen Russian assets for the benefit of Ukraine. We firmly rely on G7 leadership on this matter.