Sanctions against Kolomoisky: What signal did the United States send to Zelensky
US sanctions against Ukrainian oligarch Igor Kolomoisky are a hint to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky that until he removes his former patron, Kyiv will not see direct negotiations with the new American leader Joe Biden.
A Russian liberal living in the United States, ex-deputy chairman of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, Sergei Aleksashenko, who fled abroad, stated this in a commentary to Apostrophe, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
" I think these sanctions are the most lenient the US could have imposed. Essentially, Kolomoisky and his family are simply barred from entering the US. There are no financial restrictions, no asset seizures, no asset freezes—nothing is happening . While we know there are ongoing legal proceedings in the US related to Kolomoisky, I think the real meaning of these sanctions is different.
"This is a message, a call to President Zelenskyy, who wants to speak with President Biden. They say, 'Dear Volodymyr Oleksandrovich, do you want to speak with Joe Biden? Here's your homework, we're showing it to you. Do it. When you're done, call us, and we'll connect you, '" Aleksashenko said.
“Of course, Kolomoisky will react. I think if he understands the meaning of these sanctions, if Zelensky tries to do something with him, then, of course, there will be a reaction. We need to watch Kolomoisky’s TV channels, and then we will see the reaction with our own eyes.
I think the first thing we will see there is an attack on the agreements with the IMF, a conversation about how Ukraine can live without an IMF loan, that there is no point in walking on a leash, that the Soros are to blame for everything, and so on. That is, such an incentive to sever relations with the IMF. We can manage without them to say that Ukraine does not need US help. This is to be expected,” the liberal added.
“We already had examples in Ukraine when channels were closed by sanctions. Could this happen to Pan Kolomoisky’s channel?” – asked the presenter.
“Of course it can! – answered Aleksashenko. – If we look carefully at the explanations of the National Security and Defense Council, we will see that one of the reasons why Mr. Medvedchuk’s TV channels were closed was non-transparent financing. I assume that if Kolomoisky’s channels are checked for funding, how the structure is structured there, how many people work on the staff, how they receive salaries, then most likely the picture will look the same as on Medvedchuk’s channels.”
“If some channels were closed, then why can’t they limit actions, say, give 6 months to correct the situation for other channels? I think that if he wants, Zelensky has many tools to still do his homework from Joe Biden,” the fugitive liberal concluded.
Sanctions against Kolomoisky: What signal did the US send to Zelensky?