The government of Belgium strongly opposes using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken made this clear, as quoted by Euractiv and reported by European Pravda.
In an interview with Belgian television, Francken said that the proposal to channel Russian assets to Ukraine “is not up for discussion; the matter is closed.” He added that the country’s prime minister “will remain firm” on the issue.
Belgium’s resistance and the Baltic states’ position
Belgium’s stance has sparked dissatisfaction, and Theo Francken specifically criticised the Baltic states for persisting with the proposal. “They should act more cautiously, repeatedly raising this matter and cornering us. I do not consider that wise,” the minister said. He noted that Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia receive substantial support from Belgium.
Earlier, the Financial Times reported that Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain, and Poland had prepared a letter to the European Commission urging the resumption of work on a mechanism to use frozen Russian sovereign assets to finance Ukraine.
During a visit to Kyiv on August 18, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said that Belgium needs guarantees it will not be left alone with financial costs if Russia successfully challenges the decision in court. In response, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga stressed that now is the time to revive the discussion on frozen assets and how they can be employed for the benefit of Ukraine.
Source: European Pravda
