Golden visa influx: Putin's war in Ukraine driving rich to NZ

European leaders fear Russia could attack a Nato country if it wins its war in Ukraine, but President Vladimir Putin has dismissed those claims. (Image: Getty)

Rebecca Stevenson

Thu, 08 Jan 2026

A Swedish billionaire was among seven high‑net‑worth investors who committed to New Zealand’s golden visa programme in a single week, citing fears of a potential large‑scale war in Europe. Nato chief Mark Rutte said on December 11 the alliance was Russia’s next target and urged its members to be “prepared for the scale of war our grandparents and great grandparents endured”. High-net-worth adviser Marcus Beveridge said his firm saw an influx of interest from Europeans after the speech.He said abo...

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