Belgium will not transfer frozen Russian assets despite Commission's plans - FM Prévot

Published on 05/09/2025 - 15:45 GMT+2

Prévot told Euronews' nan Europe Conversation that his authorities remains resolutely opposed to nan thought – contempt a connection by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen reopening nan matter a fewer days agone while successful Estonia.

"Frankly speaking... confiscating those Russian sovereign assets is really not an action for Belgium," he said.

Around €200 billions' worthy of Russian costs are immobilised arsenic portion of Western sanctions successful consequence to nan full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful 2022.

Most of nan money is held successful nan Euroclear depository which is taxable to EU financial markets legislation. Prévot said breaching nan rules moreover successful nan lawsuit of an existential warfare would time off Belgium and nan EU exposed, arsenic financiers mightiness reconsider investing successful them down nan line.

"It would beryllium a very bad awesome to different countries worldwide. Some of them besides person assets, sovereign assets successful Brussels aliases successful different places successful Europe," he said.

He said nan authorities has "considered" confiscating nan immobilised assets and concluded that nan effect would "erode" assurance and spot successful nan euro.

It could "create immense bad impact, systemic consequences for nan credibility of nan European financial services" he said.

But nan EU and Ukraine's friends specified arsenic nan UK are persisting connected nan thought arsenic it would mean that Russia – and not Europe aliases Ukraine would salary nan value for nan war.

“We are besides advancing nan activity connected nan usage of nan Russian stiff assets, because it’s clear that nan predator has to salary for what he did,” said EU main Ursula von der Leyen.

An replacement scheme emanating from nan UK is nan imaginable transportation of nan assets into a abstracted finance fund.

But Prévot besides ruled this out.

"Maybe changing besides nan strategical finance of nan existent assets stiff successful Brussels is besides not an action for Belgium because erstwhile we analysed nan 2 options we person galore experts underlying nan precocious consequence some ineligible financial it tin make if we determine to confiscate," he said.

"So it's why I definitive nan truth that Belgium will not return this consequence and surely not alone."

Belgian publication to Coalition of nan Willing

In addition, Prévot told Euronews that Europe needed a "framework" from nan US regarding nan spot and extent of nan information guarantees it is prepared to connection Ukraine.

He said it was "true" that location are "several" changes of scheme and "ways of thinking" wrong nan Trump management erstwhile it comes to nan Ukraine war.

He called connected Trump to intelligibly outline nan US committedness and connection arsenic portion of post-conflict Ukraine.

"It'll beryllium important to person beardown commitments connected insubstantial successful bid to beryllium judge what we tin expect and what will beryllium to "the advantage of Ukraine," he said.

Belgium is portion of nan Coalition of nan Willing and will lend alongside nan 26 countries committed to deploying troops aliases instrumentality to post-war Ukraine. Prévot stated that nan specifications person not yet been finalised, but noted that "the support will chiefly impact aircraft" and Belgium could besides "be capable to lend to demining efforts."

Credibility of EU overseas argumentation 'collapsing', says Prévot

The Belgian curate besides said his authorities acted to recognise Palestine, and extremity waste and acquisition pinch forbidden Israeli settlements successful nan West Bank because of "war crimes” successful Gaza.

"Children, women, each nan people, and galore citizens are starving. It's wholly unacceptable. And I punctual to nan Israeli authorities that cutting disconnected immoderate humanitarian caput is simply a warfare crime," he said.

Prévot besides denounced nan EU for failing to act, saying nan credibility of EU overseas argumentation is "collapsing" complete Israel.

You tin watch nan question and reply pinch Euronews’ Shona Murray successful nan subordinate above