Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever (NV-A) said he is certain the European Commission will not reopen the debate over using frozen Russian assets held at Euroclear to help finance Ukraine.
He made the remarks on Wednesday in the Belgian parliament, during a meeting of the Federal Advisory Committee on European Affairs, as he reported on last week’s European summit.
De Wever said he was convinced the Commission would not propose any new operation linked to Russian assets to cover Ukraine’s funding needs. “I am certain of that, because that is also what has been said,” he told MPs.
Last year, De Wever strongly opposed using the roughly €185 billion in frozen Russian assets held by Brussels-based securities house Euroclear to support Ukraine.
Instead, EU leaders agreed on a €90 billion loan package for this year and next. However, that sum is not expected to be enough to sustain the country.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked for an additional €70 billion in support for next year at last week’s summit.
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De Wever said he could not rule out other member states trying to revive the discussion on Russian assets. He criticised his Dutch counterpart, Rob Jetten (D66), for saying on radio that he wanted to “take that money."
He said some newer European leaders had not taken part in last year’s debate and were now promoting arguments that he had previously managed to shut down at an early stage.
The prime minister said he warned his European counterparts that “even that kind of language” could have legal consequences. According to De Wever, the intervention had an impact.
“One colleague told me in the corridor it was as if I had gone over that debate with a flamethrower,” he said, adding that there was no longer any strong enthusiasm around the table to pursue the matter further.
