With $39 Billion Loan for Ukraine, Europe Moves Ahead Without U.S.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/20/business/ukraine-aid-russian-assets.html

28 Comments

  1. >The funding mechanism stops short of seizing the frozen Russian assets outright. The EU has been worried that such a move would discourage other countries from keeping their assets in the bloc.

    That is why U.S. is not getting involved. Besides, U.S. has very little of the Russian assets on its territories. EU is trying to help Ukraine continue to survive at a critical time before the election in the U.S. and the risk of a Trump presidency which may leave EU alone responsible for Ukraine.

    When approved and delivered in some form, this will provide a cushion of sorts for Ukraine to carry on for a few months beyond November, a time of significant importance including meeting energy needs during the winter.

  2. wrestlingfan007 on

    “This theme has been that Americans are admittedly rich, that Americans have considerable industrial power- but that Americans are soft and decadent, that they cannot and will not unite and work and fight. From Berlin, Rome, and Tokyo we have been described as a Nation of weaklings- “playboys”–who would hire British soldiers, or Russian soldiers, or Chinese soldiers to do our fighting for us. Let them repeat that now! Let them tell that to General MacArthur and his men. Let them tell that to the sailors who today are hitting hard in the far waters of the Pacific. Let them tell that to the boys in the Flying Fortresses. Let them tell that to the Marines!”  – FDR

      https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/fireside-chat-6

  3. Most of the billions in assets are in Germany, France and Belgium. The US gets the headlines, but they don’t actually have many Russian assets, which makes sense since Russia is much closer to Europe.

  4. Why is Europe not sending their soldiers to Ukraine? They should if they really care about Ukraine. Unless they are just …..

  5. TearsOfTheOrphan on

    Moves ahead? More like slightly catches up in the support that’s been being provided by the U.S.

  6. Good.

    We over here playing politics with peoples lives and it’s pathetic!

    Once the election is done, things will more than likely be different. Biden and his administration are just trying to keep anything that could be seen as bad, out of the public eye.

    I hate that this is how modern American has to operate with this Trump era. Facts become lies, lies become alternative facts, and nobody knows what’s going on.

  7. totally_anomalous on

    And Europe will continue to move forward without the US as long as the banana republicans continue to act like spoiled toddlers.

  8. > Europe moves ahead without U.S.

    Amazing how countries will suddenly find their wallets once the U.S. stops reflexively paying for everything.

    The U.S. should learn a lesson from this, but we won’t. We’ll keep borrowing from some countries, and giving that money away to others, all while we drown in an endless black hole of debt.

  9. Good. The US doesn’t need to be first in everything with regards to aiding Ukraine. The rest of the world needs to continue to show a unified front against Russian aggression.

  10. I don’t see the big deal, we’ve given them hundreds of billions of dollars already. Let them move forward as they wish. Please for the love of god.

  11. BowlerLongjumping877 on

    Honest question. The US doesn’t want Ukraine striking into Russia with US weapons (given to them?) So could EU lend the money to Ukraine, Ukraine buy the weapons from US? Or is every purchase/use of US weapons under the same rule? Lots of info on this stuff lately, trying to make sense of it all…

  12. orcusgrasshopperfog on

    EU needs to learn to stand on their own feet. A weak front breeds wars. Fire up the furnaces. Make even the thought of all out war so costly a price that no one dare to contemplate it.

  13. suspicious_hyperlink on

    US: we’re taking Ukraine to dinner again tonight, get dressed……

    Europe: I guess I’ll pay for the appetizer

  14. JohnicusMaximus on

    Good? It doesn’t always have to be US initiative, NATO is one big club plus I would hope the Europeans start taking this seriously considering the threat is on their soil.