Poland should put pressure on countries that do not want to act, especially Germany. There will always be many formal or legal arguments to delay the seizure of Russian assets – says Paweł Kowal, PhD., Government Plenipotentiary for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, in conversation with BiznesAlert.pl.
- „Authorities like Kasparov show that there are Russians who not only live in the West, but also have the courage to speak up and act, supporting initiatives against the Kremlin regime,” Kowal says.
- Poland should put pressure on countries that do not want to act, especially Germany. „There will always be many formal or legal arguments to delay the seizure of Russian assets,” he told BiznesAlert.pl.
- „If Europe wants to think about a minimum of strategic autonomy, it needs real institutions like a European Commissioner for Defense,” Kowal explained.
BiznesAlert.pl: What was the reaction of the Russian dissidents you spoke to at the Munich conference to Navalny’s death?
Paweł Kowal: The dissidents expressed full solidarity with Alexei Navalny’s family, criticized Vladimir Putin’s regime unequivocally and called on the West to respond, for example, by freezing Russian assets. The situation of the Russian opposition is also changing because Vladimir Kara-Murza is still in prison. The communities will probably integrate more around Kasparov and Khodorkovsky. The response to Navalny’s killing will be to consolidate the Russian lobby groups in the West.
Is that good?
This is very good, because the voice of authorities like Kasparov shows that there are also Russians who not only live in the West, but also have the courage to speak up and act, supporting initiatives against the Kremlin regime.
Will Navalny’s case relativize the conversation about Ukraine?
It is worth remembering that he announced a year ago a memorial where he revised his views. He showed that he was willing to suffer for his views and ultimately gave his life for them. I remember the day I learned of Nemtsov’s death. I see an analogy. Fingers crossed Vladimir Kara-Murza will survive. Such people are beacons for Russians who want to do the right thing for Ukraine.
What should Poland do about the seizure of assets?
Poland should put pressure on countries that do not want to act, especially Germany. There will always be many formal or legal arguments to delay the seizure of Russian assets. As always, one must act and eventually the solution will come. There is no point in tearing our hair out over the fact that we have different opinions again, instead we need o find a consensus.
Is killing Navalny another argument for strengthening Europe’s security policy?
If Europe wants to think about a minimum of strategic autonomy, it needs real institutions like a European Commissioner for Defense. That person should come from Central and Eastern Europe because these countries are determined the most.
Interview by Wojciech Jakóbik