International

A proposal by the SP to investigate whether the frozen Russian billions on Western bank accounts could be used as a means of pressure against the Russian regime was adopted today by a large majority of the House of Representatives. The proposal hits the
Russian elite where it hurts: in their wallet and the money can be used to support Ukrainian reconstruction. Russia must be pressured to stop the aggression and work on peace.

As part of the sanctions, there is about $400 billion
in Russian frozen funds on Western bank accounts. Parts of this is from
the Russian state, for another part this is from Russian oligarchs, the
elite that supports Putin's regime.

Socialist Party MP Sarah Dobbe submitted a proposal to investigate how
these frozen billions can be used to pressure the Russian elite to stop
the aggression and for reconstruction of Ukraine: 'People's interests
suffer more in a war than those of capital and
world leaders. The possibility to deploy these billions does not affect
the Russian working class, which is oppressed by the Russian elite and
sent to the front as cannon fodder. It allows space to be made for a
path to peace, rather than an arms race. A permanent war must be prevented and this bloodshed must stop.”

It is now almost two years since Putin started the illegal invasion of
Ukraine. This war causes unimaginable human suffering to this day and
costs many innocent lives. Half a million people have lost their lives
in the conflict so far.

Dobbe: 'Russia has violated international law with the invasion of
Ukraine. That's unacceptable. Russia should not be rewarded for this
illegality and the victims of war crimes must be brought to justice.
Ukraine has the full right to defend itself and deserves
our support in this. At the same time, wars do not end by sending
countless weapons and sacrificing human lives on the battlefield. A path
to peace and reconstruction must be found and the Netherlands must also
work for this. Our proposal to mobilise the Russian billions could contribute to this.'