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European Council leaders, spearheaded by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, have proposed using these frozen Russian funds to financially support Ukraine. This move aims to leverage the significant assets stored in Belgium, which have been held in limbo due to international sanctions and legal freezes in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
However, the Belgian government under Prime Minister Bart De Wever has strongly opposed this initiative. De Wever describes the plan as akin to theft, warning of the dangerous precedents it could set. He cautions that attempting to seize and reallocate these funds would have profound legal and political risks, potentially jeopardizing Belgium’s international commitments and relations.