Natalie Jaresko: “Taxes which are paid in Russia are used to fund the war, not to develop the economy, infrastructure or education”

As an expert, Natalie Jaresko, Chairperson of the Aspen Institute Kyiv Supervisory Board and the Minister of Finance of Ukraine (2014-2016), pays special attention to the issues of isolation of the Russian economy. Natalie spoke about self-sanctioning by foreign companies during the joint Aspen Institute Kyiv and Aspen Institute Mexico Ukrainian Dialogue event.  

Every company that stays in Russia, pays taxes and funds the war is acting like Nevill Chamberlain in 1930s

According to the Kyiv School of Economics, as of July 24, 707 international companies continue to operate in Russia. At the same time, 1638 foreign companies have already reduced, suspended or stopped their activities in Russia. 

Natalie Jaresko is sure that doing business and paying taxes in Russia is playing the Chamberlain card. She made this statement during the Ukrainian Dialogue discussion with Aspen Institute Mexico.

— These taxes are not being used for the development of the infrastructure in the Eastern part of Russia. Take a look at what you see outside of Moscow or Saint-Petersburg in terms of the development in the rural parts of the country. It is not being used for the economy nor for education. Every company that made a choice to stay in Russia today paying taxes and as a consequence funding the war is acting like Lord Chamberlain. 

Ukraine had enjoyed the freedoms that Russians wasn’t able to

Natalie Jaresko also stressed that one of the reasons of Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine was that our country showed its ability to be successful. 

— Over the last eight years notwithstanding the ongoing war in the Donbas and the illegal occupation and annexation of Crimea, the Ukrainian economy was growing. The Ukrainian middle class was becoming stronger and its IT community was becoming one of the best in the world. Ukraine had enjoyed the freedoms that Russians wasn’t able to: freedom of speech, press, religion and sexual orientation. All of this was happening right next door to a country which part of its imperial mythology included Ukraine. They were not confronted with the fact that Ukraine was becoming a strong, independent, democratic Slavic nation. 

Aspen Institute Kyiv launched the #UkrainianDialogue project in cooperation with Aspen Network international partners. Its goal is to create a platform for leadership dialogue between Ukrainians who fight for democratic values and other countries’ representatives that support Ukraine.

Listen to the podcast #UkrainianDialogue:

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