[이데일리 장영은 기자] It is reported that the U.S. Congress is working on a bill that would allow the confiscated property of Russian tycoon Oligarhi to be used to aid Ukraine.
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Democrat Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the 1st (local time) that when examining the additional budget for Ukraine’s aid, it would include the seizure of Oligarch’s property so that it could support Ukraine.
Earlier, on the 28th of last month, US President Joe Biden requested an additional $33 billion (about 42.8 trillion won) of aid to Ukraine. The Biden administration has also called for the inclusion of a clause that could support Ukraine through additional seizures and liquidation of Russian conglomerates.
The House of Representatives also passed a resolution calling for similar measures to the administration on the 27th of last month with an overwhelming majority, so the bill is expected to be processed without any difficulties.
“Ukraine needs all help,” Schumer said at a press briefing on the same day. “We will have to gather all the assets we can to provide the aid Ukraine needs,” he said.
He added that the addition of a provision to provide direct assistance to Ukraine by seizing oligarch’s property would streamline the process of forfeiture of oligarch-owned property in the United States and expedite review in federal court at the request of the White House.
Under current regulations, assets confiscated by the United States are transferred to the Ministry of Justice’s asset confiscation fund and are mainly used as compensation for crime victims and investigation funds.
On the other hand, oligarchs refer to Russia’s emerging conglomerates who have become world rich by accumulating enormous wealth under the protection of the Russian regime. Many of them are known to be close aides to President Vladimir Putin and have been subject to Western sanctions after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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