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London’s High Court completes hearings of Ukraine’s Russian debt case

London’s High Court of Justice completed the hearings of a high-profile dispute involving a $3bn debt Ukraine took from Russia in 2013

LONDON, January 19. /TASS/. On Thursday, London’s High Court of Justice completed the hearings of a high-profile dispute involving a $3bn debt Ukraine took from Russia in 2013. Judge William Blaire said the judgement will be announced in due course.

"These were extremely helpful submissions. It will take some time to consider them. In due course the judgment will be handled down," the judge said.

Representatives of both parties told TASS that "it could take months." However, the court hearings may not be over yet since both parties will have a chance to file an appeal against the court ruling. Taking into consideration long judicial procedures, it can take several years.

Ukraine demands that the case be thoroughly assessed, insisting that the debt was taken on unusual and highly onerous terms. Kiev also claims that the case has been politicized as it is part of Russia’s strategy to carry out illegal economic, political and military aggression against Ukraine, which has already had ruinous consequences for the country.

Russia says that the debt is a sovereign one and must be paid out. According to Russia’s representatives, Ukraine’s arguments are mistaken, only aimed at making the court assess the issues out of its jurisdiction.