EU countries must agree on solidarity provisions - Belgian foreign minister on using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot explained Belgium's position on the possible use of frozen Russian assets for Ukraine, stressing the need for shared risk-sharing that EU countries have not previously agreed to.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevert discussed Belgium's stance on using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine, emphasizing the necessity of shared risk-sharing among EU countries. Speaking at a joint press conference in Kyiv with his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha, Prevert addressed concerns about Belgium's position being misinterpreted. He affirmed Belgium's long-standing alliance with Ukraine and urged against interpreting any hesitation as refusal to aid Ukraine or support for Russia.
Prevert highlighted that legal and fiscal risks identified by numerous lawyers could pose a systemic threat to European financial markets, leading Belgium to oppose the decision on frozen Russian assets without proper legal mandate. He stressed that if all European countries and other states insisted on confiscation without legal backing, solidarity provisions must be agreed upon beforehand.
Otherwise, Belgium would face an impossible burden of repaying over 200 billion on its own budget if ordered to return the funds in 10 to 15 years. Prevert explained that this reluctance to share risks was likely shared by many other capitals at the time.
Despite acknowledging the importance of strategic support for Ukraine, Prevert welcomed the EU's decision on a 90 billion loan for 2026 and 2027, underscoring the need for solidarity provisions to be established in advance to avoid potential risks.
Written by urgent.news from Interfax-Ukraine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
