Good afternoon!
It’s Katie Westwood here, saddling up to guide you on another thrilling Belgium in Brief adventure.
I do hope you are reading this from a sunny terrace somewhere – perhaps on the Costa del Belgium – rather than holed up inside like I am, recovering from the dreaded lurgy.
The weather might be unseasonably warm, but the news has a distinctly chilly air today with the return of a subject we thought had been kicked into the long grass for good.
In the words of Yogi Berra, it’s déjà vu all over again as the debate on unlocking Russia’s frozen assets appears to be returning to the political agenda.
In December, the European Council agreed to put together a €90 billion loan for Ukraine, thus obviating the need to repurpose Russia’s assets to provide funding for Kyiv.
Most of the assets are housed in Euroclear in Brussels, and Belgium played a leading role in quashing the plan to repurpose them. But as our guest contributor Chris Powers writes, things have changed since the agreement in December.
Following Hungary’s decision to veto the loan package to Ukraine, EU diplomats appear to be making eyes at Euroclear once again. I wonder what Bart ‘No Waver’ De Wever will think of this development.
Elsewhere, Brussels Times Political Editor Maïthé Chini has written about a subject close to her heart: Dutch language education. As Maïthé reports, Dutch will become compulsory for all children in Belgium's French-speaking education system from their third year of primary school from 2027.
Staying with Maïthé, anyone wishing to fly from Brussels next month should be aware that a strike is taking place, which will affect both major airports. Find out the latest developments here.
If you have any comments, tips or suggestions to improve our coverage, please feel free to drop me an email at k.westwood@brusselstimes.com.
Bye for now!
Belgium in Brief is a free daily roundup of the top stories to get you through your coffee break conversations. To receive it straight to your inbox every day, sign up below:
1. Dutch to become compulsory for pupils in French-speaking Belgium
"We live in Belgium. Mastering a second national language of the country is essential for our young people." Read more.
2. EU diplomats preparing to reopen the debate on Russian frozen assets
Belgium strongly objected to initial plans to unlock €210 billion in Russian frozen assets which are mainly located in the Brussels-based Euroclear. Read more.
3. Belgium’s national strike to majorly disrupt flights next month
Belgium's airports are bracing for heavy disruption next month as the country's biggest trade unions issued a 24-hour strike notice in mid-March. Read more.
4. ‘Mafia-style diplomacy’? European politicians increasingly under threat of US sanctions
From Conner Rousseau to Thierry Breton, EU lawmakers are accusing the Trump administration of using travel ban threats to "regulate political opinions". Read more.
5. Hundreds march in Brussels in support of Ukrainian soldiers
Led by German MEP Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, demonstrators gathered in front of Russia's EU Mission office, demanding justice for Ukrainian POWs. Read more.
6. Trump breaks record for longest State of the Union address
During his speech, the US president said he ended eight conflicts and vowed that Iran would never acquire nuclear weapons. Read more.
7. Electricity bills set to rise in Belgium due to delays in offshore wind rollout
An analysis led by VITO/EnergyVille suggests that households and businesses will pick up the bill for additional emissions costs. Read more.
