Ukrainian organisations and citizens are planning a protest on Friday at the European Council in Brussels to press for the release of frozen Russian funds held by Euroclear for use in Ukraine’s reconstruction.
The demonstration will coincide with a meeting of the European Union’s Economy and Finance Ministers.
Groups leading the protest include Avaaz, the Association of Ukrainian Women in Belgium, Support Ukrainian Resistance, and Frozen Assets Action.
The protest's organisers are calling on EU ministers to release the frozen assets as a loan to aid Ukraine’s recovery. They emphasise that Belgium holds two-thirds of all frozen Russian funds globally. “By blocking the release of these assets, Belgium is also blocking essential support for Ukraine,” they argue.
The organisations insist that peace in Ukraine cannot be achieved unless Belgium reverses its position. Negotiating with Russia, which they claim seeks to dismantle European unity, is not viable, they say. Making the war “more costly for Russia” is seen as the fastest route to “sustainable peace.”
The groups assert that there is “no alternative” to releasing the funds. They argue that while Belgium privately admits this, it continues to resist, shifting responsibility to others.
Ukrainian civic groups have been urging Belgium to unlock the resources to provide ongoing support to Ukraine and to drop its opposition to a confiscation of the funds by Europe.
“Show real leadership and solidarity with the Ukrainian people for the safety of the European Union,” they plead.
