Belgium balks at EU plan to seize Russian assets, citing fear of Kremlin retaliation
AI Summary
Belgium is resisting an EU plan to seize approximately €197 billion in frozen Russian assets held in Brussels-based Euroclear to fund a €165 billion financial package for Ukraine. The European Commission aims to transfer these assets to Ukraine to help pay its bills and fund the war effort, as Ukraine is projected to run out of funds in April. Belgium's Prime Minister Bart De Wever fears that seizing the assets could provoke retaliation from Russia, potentially targeting Belgium. Despite widespread support within the EU, Belgium's reluctance is hindering the plan. EU leaders are working to address Belgium's concerns and reach a consensus by the European Council meeting on December 18th to determine how to support Ukraine's budgetary needs for the next two years.
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This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).
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