Russia's crimes in Ukraine give UK legal right to seize $300bn, MP tells Commons
A former Army officer who is now an MP on Parliament's Defence Committee is urging the Government to investigate the possibility of seizing $300bn in frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine's war effort.
Mike Martin, who is the Liberal Democrat MP for Tunbridge Wells, brought forward a motion in the House of Commons and argued there was a "clear legal pathway" to seizing the frozen assets.
He told the Commons: "States are able to take countermeasures against other states if there have been grievous violations of international law, like genocidal abduction of children."
He shared the story of a Ukrainian child who was abducted by the Russians, but managed to escape.
He told the Commons: "Nineteen thousand children, actual verified, documented cases by the Ukrainian government, of Ukrainian children who have been taken from Ukraine and placed with Russian families, told to forget Ukraine and told to love Russia.
"This is one of the smaller estimates. The UN thinks there are 120,000 Ukrainian children who have been abducted and sent to Russia."
Labour MP Johanna Baxter said: "Whilst no G7 nation has yet moved fully to seize Russian state assets, both Canada and the US have enacted legislation permitting this…so I wonder if [Mr Martin] would agree with me, that actually legislation on this matter is an important step forward?"
Mr Martin replied: "It became clear over the last month that the US has been quietly pushing its G7 allies, one assumes us as well, to take this step to investigate and to seek how to seize these assets and to send them to Ukraine."
Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty reiterated the Government's "ironclad" commitment to Ukraine.
On the sanction of Russian assets, he said: "There have been many questions rightly raised about enforcement.
"I have been absolutely clear, as the Foreign Secretary has since coming into office, that we must have the necessary powers and tools to implement and enforce our sanctions regimes effectively.
"Strengthening the system is a top priority for this Government, and with the support of ministerial colleagues I've launched a cross-government review to examine how we can make it easier for businesses to comply with sanctions, but also bringing the full force of law to bear on those who do not.
"We've often been the first mover, as has been rightly referenced, when it comes to vital lethal assistance, whether it’s Storm Shadow missiles or Challenger 2 tanks."
MPs voted unanimously in favour of the motion.
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