Belgium does not agree with any model for use of Russian assets, - Prime Minister De Wever
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has stated that the European Union's proposals on the use of frozen Russian assets for the benefit of Ukraine, with which he has familiarised himself, remain unacceptable to Belgium at this time.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to De Morgen.
According to the Prime Minister, Belgium is currently not ready to support any of the proposals for so-called "reparations loan" for Ukraine presented by the European Commission.
"I have not yet seen a text that Belgium could agree to," De Wever said. According to him, the conditions insisted upon by the Belgian side have not yet been "sufficiently" taken into account.
De Wever also stressed that Belgium "cannot compromise" on certain issues.
Belgium's conditions
The Prime Minister recalled that Belgium insists on three key conditions for the use of frozen Russian assets in Brussels:
- introduction of a backstop mechanism – an insurance mechanism that guarantees that the Belgian depository Euroclear will be able to immediately return funds to Russia in the event of a relevant court decision or the conclusion of a peace agreement;
- distribution of possible claims for compensation of damage by Russia among all EU member states;
- use of frozen Russian assets located in other countries for "reparations loan."
"If we have a good parachute, then we all jump together. Not just me," said De Wever.
Risk posed by the Russian Federation
At the same time, the prime minister warned of the risk of countermeasures from Russia. According to him, Moscow may "immediately" proceed to confiscate European funds or companies.
"This is not a vague danger at all," writes De Morgen.
