Becoming a Russian Oligarch After Rebirth
Chapter 1152 - 976: Mikhail Plan

Chapter 1152: Chapter 976: Mikhail Plan

Although not many people were involved in the talks between Yanukovych and Wang Ye, the reception room where they met was quite spacious.

In the foremost and central position, there were two armchairs with a small coffee table between them, on which sat a pot of elegantly simple flowers.

Behind the armchairs stood two national flags, one of Russia and the other of Ukraine...

Off to the side and slightly behind each armchair, there was a chair meant for translators; however, since both parties spoke Russian, translators were not needed, so their assistants took the seats instead.

Before the armchairs, two rows of seats were arranged in straight lines, designated for the subordinates and accompanying personnel of the two individuals.

The opening remarks involved the usual pleasantries, with each expressing thoughts on the historical friendship between Russia and Ukraine, and looking forward to a future where the two nations would continue to march hand in hand towards prosperity and strength!

Of course, Wang Ye also congratulated Yanukovych on his smooth election as president, and stated that it was the best choice of the Ukrainian people!

Under Yanukovych’s leadership, Ukraine was sure to encounter new opportunities for development...

Yanukovych himself modestly stated that the people’s trust and expectations in him would not be let down and that he would exert his utmost effort to do his job well...

After the pleasantries were exchanged, they began to delve into the main topic.

As there were no media reporters left in the conference hall, only their own people remained, and so Wang Ye got straight to the point, "My visit this time is to discuss a very important matter with your side, that is, Ukraine’s entry into the Collective Security Organization.

As everyone knows, the purpose of establishing the Collective Security Organization is to protect those of us who once were part of the Former Soviet.

Following the breakdown of the Former Soviet, including our nation and those around us like Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, we all became sovereign states.

However, the strength of our countries varies, and in comparison, Russia is somewhat better off.

As for Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and other countries, their economies are in decline, and their national strengths are weak; they basically lack self-preservation capabilities.

Hence, the creation of the Collective Security Organization was imperative!

In previous years, Moscow was also stretched thin, lacking the extra energy and financial strength to take care of everyone, causing the Collective Security Organization to exist in name only, and your reluctance to participate was understandable.

But now it’s different!

With the soaring international energy prices, along with a series of economic policies, you must have seen how Moscow’s economy has rapidly grown, and the domestic political situation has also stabilized.

In such circumstances, we have the will and the capacity to address regional security issues.

This highlights the importance of the Collective Security Organization.

The best benefit for you upon joining the Organization is that you’ll no longer need to worry about security issues; with so many member states united, along with Moscow’s formidable military force, there will be no country or organization in the world that would dare infringe upon your territorial security!

You’ll be able to focus your energies without concern on developing your economy and the well-being of your people..."

Wang Ye spoke at length, praising the benefits of joining the Collective Security Organization to the skies!

However, he wasn’t entirely sugarcoating it for Yanukovych, as the founding purpose of the Collective Security Organization was indeed this.

The key was to see whether the Russian side had the capability and determination to fulfill its promises...

At the very least, at the moment, they seemed to have both the capabilities and the attitude!

......

Before Wang Ye’s arrival, Yanukovych had already convened his staff to discuss this matter, so he already had an answer in mind.

After listening to Wang Ye with a smile, Yanukovych didn’t rush to express his stance.

He first acknowledged and praised what Wang Ye said, before changing the subject and beginning to lament:

"Director Mikhail, you must also be aware of the current situation in our Ukraine.

To be honest, since I took office, I have not had one peaceful night’s sleep, waking each day to an ever-growing pile of public affairs waiting to be dealt with.

Most of them are finance-related; the fiscal situation is really difficult..."

As he spoke, he seemed almost on the verge of tears, his face portraying deep concern for the country and its people.

Wang Ye was well-prepared for Yanukovych’s "performance" and listened quietly until he finished speaking.

Then Wang Ye smiled slightly and said in a calm manner, "That is exactly why I keep proposing that we brother countries should unite and pool all our strengths. Not only for security, but even more so for economic reasons!"

Upon hearing the word "economy," Yanukovych’s eyes lit up; clearly, he was more interested in economic discussions than so-called security matters.

After all, under the circumstances at that time, Ukraine’s surroundings were quite safe, and there were no immediate threats to be seen.

So, joining or not joining the Collective Security Organization made little difference to Ukraine...

But economic issues were urgent!

Particularly for Ukraine, with its not insignificant territorial size—one that ranks second in Europe only to Russia and exceeds the size of what common folk view as "Major Powers" like England, France, and Germany.

Its population is also noteworthy, amounting to over forty-six million!

This territory and population would qualify any country as a "Major Power."

Yet for such a large country, the nationwide GDP was less than seventy billion US dollars, and the per capita income was less than a thousand US dollars—a figure for one year!