A top Ukrainian official has demanded that Russia pay $350 billion in damages suffered as a result of its alleged covert military actions in Ukraine.
"At a certain point Russia will pay," Ukrainian Deputy Economy Development Minister Aleksandr Borovik told Channel 5, according to RT. "We need to calculate, we need to be ready to lobby it wherever we can. And say, look, this must be paid."
Kiev claims that Russia has been conducting a secret war against Ukraine by providing arms and soldiers to rebel groups fighting against the government in the east, while Moscow adamantly denies the accusations.
Borovik said the $350 billion amount was derived from the amount the U.N. ordered Saddam Hussein to pay over his illegal invasion and occupation of Kuwait in 1991.
More than $350 billion in claims were submitted to the United Nations Compensation Commission, and the commission ordered Iraq to pay back $52.4 billion in damages caused by its invasion, to be paid from the country's oil revenues.
U.K.-based journalist Neil Clark told RT that it's unlikely that Russia will ever pay Ukraine damages for a conflict that was "provoked by Kiev in the first place."
"Not only would they have to prove that the rebels provoked it, they would have to prove that there is a direct line between the rebels and Moscow. And they would not be able to do that. I think this is purely political posturing," Clark said.
On Monday, for the first time since the Ukrainian crisis began, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry traveled to Russia to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, reported The New York Times.
"This trip is part of our ongoing effort to maintain direct lines of communication with senior Russian officials and to ensure U.S. views are clearly conveyed," the State Department said, adding that the subjects will include "a full range of bilateral and regional issues, including Iran, Syria and Ukraine."
