Belgium Rejects Push to Use Frozen Russian Assets

Belgium continues to oppose the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said after an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Ireland on Wednesday, adding that his country’s position had not changed over the past year.

The Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden called last week for the EU to consider using the Russian assets for Ukraine. Some ministers reiterated the proposal at Wednesday’s meeting, but according to Prévot, the idea attracted little interest from other member states.

Belgium’s concerns remain unchanged, with Prévot arguing that using the assets in a way that amounted to confiscation would carry very significant risks.

(Reuters, mja)