Vseviov urges use of frozen Russian assets for Ukraine

Estonia’s Foreign Ministry Chancellor Jonatan Vseviov said frozen Russian assets must be used to support Ukraine, ERR reported after his interview with Vikerraadio’s Uudis+ programme.

Vseviov said Estonia’s main diplomatic goal was to secure international measures that would affect Russia irreversibly. He said the fact that not all allies had yet been persuaded did not mean the Foreign Ministry’s efforts had failed.

He also called for policies that would remain in place regardless of election results, citing legal proceedings as one example. Vseviov said Estonia considered it critically important to support the International Criminal Court, which has declared Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted over war crimes.

Because the court does not have jurisdiction over the crime of aggression, a separate body must be established, he said. Such efforts should signal to Russia that those responsible for aggression and war crimes could remain subject to legal and practical consequences, even if they were not arrested immediately or at all, Vseviov added.

He said Estonia would continue working to implement other principles, including the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.