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The EU and G7 are considering a US-backed plan that will use the interest income on Russia's frozen bank reserves to buy weapons for the Ukraine.
There is about $300 billion in Russian assets that are frozen in EU member banks. This money is earning interest, at about $3.6 billion per year. Officials are crafting plans to direct, instead, this interest to provide weapons and other aid to the Ukraine.
An even more ambitious plan is being considered, which will use the interest to collateralize a large bond offering of between $40-$50 billion, to be repaid with the interest income on the seized funds.
An announcement that China liquidated over $50 billion of US Treasury bonds in just the first quarter of 2024 shocked capital markets. These funds were held in custody by banks in Belgium. The sales included large tranches of US government bonds and housing agency debt. Also surprising is that China almost certainly realized losses on the sales, as interest rates have risen since their purchase of them.
Were the sales of the Belgian-custodied bonds motivated by China's fear of having assets similarly frozen and weaponized? Under these new precedents in the Western banking system, who in the future will be making claims against sovereign depositors' assets?
Resources and links:
Bloomberg, US Backs $50 Billion Ukraine Bond Using Frozen Russia Assets
www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...
How Russian state assets could yield tens of billions in cash for Kyiv
www.euronews.com/business/202...
Economist, Frozen Russian assets will soon pay for Ukraine’s war
www.economist.com/finance-and...
Financial Times, US proposes debt to fund Ukraine using profits from frozen Russian assets
www.ft.com/content/6cb21054-c...
US proposes debt to fund Ukraine using profits from frozen Russian assets
www.ft.com/content/6cb21054-c...
China Sells Record Sum of US Debt Amid Signs of Diversification
www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...