Russian Foreign Ministry asserted that any potential confiscation of Russian real estate and assets would be an “outright theft.”
“We have spoken more than once about the illegitimacy of unilateral coercive measures taken by Western countries about Russian property abroad,” the statement read.
“We have repeatedly noted that the seizure of property of the Russian Federation is unlawful and violates the fundamental principles and norms of international law, including the sovereign equality of states,” the ministry insisted.
The ministry also reaffirmed that if the West goes ahead with such actions, it will be met with an “adequate response.”
In December 2023, the Kremlin cautioned Western countries that it had prepared a list of assets from the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere for potential seizure.
This action is in response to the possibility of G7 leaders seizing $300 billion of frozen Russian central bank reserves.
The G7 nations are considering a new legal approach to confiscate these assets, as discussed by two knowledgeable sources and a British official on Thursday.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov labeled such a move by Western countries as “theft” and a violation of international law, potentially destabilizing reserve currencies, the global financial system, and the world economy.
Peskov emphasized the severe consequences such actions could have on the international economy and the trust countries place in the U.S. and EU as economic guarantors.
Peskov confirmed the existence of a specific list of Western assets Russia might target in retaliation but declined to disclose the specific assets included.
