Kremlin denounces plans to use Russian assets for Ukraine's reconstruction as 'banditry'

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - A recent decision by the G7 to use frozen Russian assets for the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine amounts to "banditry," the Kremlin said on Wednesday.

"This contradicts all thinkable and unthinkable norms of international law. It's just pure international banditry," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters at a news conference in Moscow.

"We are talking about undisguised attempts to discuss the possibility of legalizing previously committed theft," Peskov added at the briefing, hours after G7 country leaders released a joint statement arguing that Russian funds would be needed in Ukraine's reconstruction.

Asked about comments by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg that a Russian victory in Ukraine would be a defeat for the alliance, Peskov said this could be taken as confirmation that the bloc was fighting on Kyiv's side against Moscow.

On reports of "new tasks on mobilization" in the Russian regions, Peskov denied that this was a "new wave of mobilization" but recommended seeking additional details from regional authorities.

"It is necessary to clarify from each specific governor what they mean," he noted.

Peskov admitted there had been failures during the partial mobilization effort that Russia launched last month, adding that measures were being taken to eliminate them.

"Any state should have an effective mobilization system in case of any relevant circumstances. This is not related to the continuation of mobilization. This is simply due to the fact that this system needs to be put in order," he said.

On Sept. 21, President Vladimir Putin declared partial mobilization to enlist up to 300,000 people between the ages of 18 and 50 in the Russian military.

About a possibility of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden, Peskov said: "As far as I know, there have been no initiatives from either the Russian or the American side to organize bilateral contacts at the highest level."

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Turning to media reports claiming that US billionaire businessman Elon Musk held several weeks of consultations on the possibility of a settlement in Ukraine with Putin before publishing his proposals on Twitter, Peskov said: "This is untruth. Musk spoke with Putin only once. It was about 18 months ago. The topic of conversation was space."

On a Tuesday meeting between Putin and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Peskov said the two leaders discussed the situation in Ukraine, including at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and the growth of bilateral trade turnover.

"President Putin informed his colleague from the Emirates in sufficient detail about the situation at the NPP (nuclear power plant), because the Emirati side has repeatedly expressed its concern about the potential danger that lies there in connection with the ongoing shelling," he said.

The official praised the UAE's role in the exchange of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine, noting that Nahyan briefed Putin on the position of the Ukrainian side on a number of issues, and that the Russian side stressed its interest in the UAE mediation efforts in these matters.

Peskov added that Moscow had no ulterior motives in the meeting with the UAE president.

As for a much-reported video that emerged afer the meeting, showing the Emirati president exiting the Konstantin Palace in St. Petersburg with Putin's coat draped over his shoulders, Peskov said this was merely a "gesture of attention."

Referring to recent remarks By US President Biden doubting that Russia would use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Peskov said Moscow regretted the US and West raising the topic of nuclear war so frequently.

"We consider this a very harmful practice, a provocative practice. Russia does not want and does not take part in these exercises," he said.