Should Russia pay reparations for the Ukraine war? | Barry Eichengreen

The case is morally compelling - but it might leave Ukraine less able to sustain stable economic growth

Russia's war on Ukraine shows no sign of ending, but it is not too soon to start thinking about how to ensure postwar Ukraine's stability, prosperity, and security. Already, two discussions are occurring: one about financing economic reconstruction, and the other about affirming Ukraine's external security. The problem is that these discussions are proceeding separately, even though the issues are intimately related.

Reconstruction costs are uncertain because the course of the war is uncertain. Ukraine's prewar GDP was about $150bn (120bn). Given a capital-output ratio of three, and assuming that a third of the capital stock will be destroyed, we are again talking about $150bn. As always, alternative assumptions yield alternative scenarios, but $150bn seems like a reasonable starting point.