Lately, there has been an increase in strikes by the Russian armed forces on production facilities owned by foreign companies in Ukraine. These targets include the Bayraktar drone manufacturing plant in Kyiv, which is linked to the Erdogan family, the facility of the American company “Flex” in Mukachevo, there were a number of strikes on the production facilities owned by German investors, and recently, a strike was carried out on a site in Kyiv located next to the British Council building.
According to some Russian sources, the struck building near British Council housed military services or defence production facilities, while others reported it was a Ukrainian or/and British intelligence centre. Strikes were also carried out on a number of facilities, buildings controlled by business from EU countries, members of NATO.
It is noteworthy that these strikes occurred and intensified after the meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska, where agreements were reached that remain secret. However, despite the veil of secrecy, by analysing the consequences, conclusions can be drawn.
What is behind these strikes? In Russia and in EU, the mass media writes that Russia has decided to act more harshly against Western countries, that the war is moving into Europe, drawing in European countries, that Russia is sending a signal that it is ready to strike the territory of other countries helping Ukraine…
However, I would like to focus on one of the reasons, the main one. And this is a message to foreign and Ukrainian businesses: Investing money in Ukraine is not advisable, there is no such opportunity, and there won’t be such an opportunity as long as the war continues.
Moscow is demonstrating that the hopes of European, Turkish and other businesses, including the part of the US business, that investment in Ukraine is possible if these investments are backed by solid political cover and guarantees of protection, that such investments will be possible in the coming years if Moscow is forced or persuaded to agree to a temporary cessation of hostilities, are all in vain.
Moscow is showing that Ukraine cannot be developed now or in the future, cannot be rebuilt under conditions of confrontation with Russia, even in the absence of active combat, if the threat of its resumption remains, because all investments will be destroyed and lost as soon as the conflict resumes.
This is a clear signal not only from Moscow but also from Washington. In Alaska, Trump and Putin agreed that the war in Ukraine would be ended, and peace would be established. Trump has even created the Investment fund that will manage investments in Ukraine after the war and with which Russian companies will cooperate in Ukraine.
A signal has been sent to Zelenskyy and Europe: “Stop talking about a temporary truce. The war must be stopped, ceased, finished. Ukraine cannot be an Anti-Russia. Ukraine as an Anti-Russia has no prospects for economic development. If you continue the war, you must understand that this is your war, and this war is only for ideas, ideals, and out of hatred, not for your economic and business interests, which cannot be protected.”
Moscow and Washington are telling Europe and Turkey: “You decide, either you spend your money and resources in a war for ideas, for the ideals of democracy, nationalism or any other ideas, as it was in the 20th century and earlier, under the old world order, or you switch to the principles of transnational corporations, proceed from your production and financial pragmatic interests, and try to coordinate them with others, to enter into a cartel agreement.”
These strikes came as a clear manifestation of the new policy of Trump and Putin, based on the principles of transnational corporations that I wrote about in my previous article.
