US EditionMerz to Meet Belgian Leader Amid EU Feud Over Russian Assets
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met Belgian and EU leaders to resolve Belgium's opposition to a €90 billion loan plan using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine, amid urgent funding needs.
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz rushed to Brussels Friday, canceling a planned Oslo trip for a private dinner with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to ease Belgian resistance.
- Belgium this week rejected EU proposals to use immobilized Russian central-bank funds to issue 90 billion, citing fears it could be forced to repay the loan alone, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said.
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned of a €135 billion two-year need, with the commission's €90 billion loan plan leaving a €45 billion budget hole through 2027.
- Valdis Dombrovskis told journalists international partners including the United Kingdom and Canada showed interest in replicating the reparation-loan approach as Ukraine faces funding shortfalls next year.
- Some remaining frozen assets total 210 billion and could be tapped from 2028 ahead of the Dec. 18 summit, with officials hoping a Wednesday legal proposal will enable EU leaders to sign off on the plan.
76 Articles
76 Articles
The European Union cannot agree on a "reparative loan to Ukraine on bail for frozen Russian assets." Belgium is the main (although not the only) obstacle, where the lion's share of the Russian Central Bank's assets, which were frozen in Europe in 2022, is stored. Belgium's 54-year-old Prime Minister, Bart de Wever, is actively dislodged from the European Commission's "reparative loan" plan, because he is sure to leave his country alone as it sta…
Belgium’s Prime Minister says the Kremlin warned of ‘eternal consequences’ over confiscating frozen Russian assets
Belgium’s prime minister says he was threatened from Moscow with “eternal consequences” if frozen Russian assets are confiscated. Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said he received non-public threats from Moscow over the issue of frozen state assets. He made the striking claim in an interview with La Libre. The idea of transferring hundreds of billions of dollars from Russia’s central bank reserves to Ukraine may sound simple and fair, but in pra…
The chancellor wants to leave Russian billions to Ukraine, but most of the money lies in Belgium. Merz sought solutions at a private dinner in Brussels.
The German Chancellor postponed a trip to Norway to meet with Prime Minister Bart De Wever in Brussels yesterday, where his Belgian counterpart repeated that before releasing Putin's billions I want to see a contract in which all Member States undertake to take responsibility for ensuring the necessary liquidity.
The struggle for the use of Russian assets to finance the Ukrainian defense struggle against Russia goes into the final phase.
Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has described his conversation with Belgium's Prime Minister Bart de Wever and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the use of Russian assets frozen in Europe for Ukraine as "constructive".The particular concern of Belgium is "indisputable" and must be "addressed in such a way that all European states bear the same risk", said a statement by the Federal Chancellor on Friday evening.According to …
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