Unblocking Russian frozen assets 'matter of time', says EU Commissioner Lahbib

Belgium is not hindering a caller measurement of backing Ukraine’s warfare effort, EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, told Euronews successful an exclusive interview.

Lahbib, who antecedently served arsenic Belgium's Foreign Affairs Minister, said successful nan aftermath of a European Council acme successful Brussels connected Thursday, 23 October, attended by EU heads of authorities and government.

Leaders hoped to travel to an statement complete a bold scheme to usage Russia's immobilised assets and rumor a €140 cardinal interest-free indebtedness to thief Ukraine pinch its warfare effort.

However, nan EU27 leaders parted without a determination connected utilizing Russia’s stiff assets to money Ukraine’s defence, arsenic they failed to placate Belgian concerns complete nan proposal. This spurred headlines stating Belgium had derailed nan plan.

"[Belgium is] not blocking nan loans," Lahbib said connected Euronews' flagship programme The Europe Conversation. "For 2 years now, we person been giving Ukrainians [...] nan interests of these loans."

She went connected to reiterate that utilizing nan stiff assets successful this measurement would beryllium a first successful nan country's history.

"We don't person an illustration to follow, and it needs to beryllium secured from a ineligible constituent of view. That's nan only thing, that's nan only point," she said. "I deliberation it's conscionable a mobility of time."

Meanwhile, leaders connected Thursday settled connected considerably weaker connection successful their acme conclusions, instructing nan Commission to coming "as soon arsenic possible" a database of "options" to plug Kyiv's financial and subject needs for 2026 and 2027.

Financial support for Ukraine will apt beryllium picked up again astatine different EU Council acme successful December.

Ensure Belgium isn't 'taken to court'

Belgium hosts astir of nan Russian costs immobilised successful nan EU astatine nan Brussels-based institution Euroclear.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has voiced some ineligible and financial concerns regarding nan connection and nan position it would put Belgium in. The main interest for Belgium is nan Russian retaliation if Moscow demands its assets backmost and sanctions are lifted.

He pointed to Japan, which holds €50 cardinal successful Russian Central Bank reserves, and has already ruled retired utilizing these to thief Ukraine, arsenic nan EU is now seeking to do.

De Wever besides echoed nan informing fixed by nan European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde, who stated that rate liquidity must beryllium guaranteed if Russia demands repayment.

Following nan summit, De Wever said that nan thought remains nether consideration.

"We conscionable request to unafraid nan ineligible facet to beryllium judge that Belgium is not going to beryllium brought successful beforehand of a tribunal of justness later on," Lahbib said.

'Your borders are our borders'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who besides attended nan acme gathering connected Thursday, had pleaded pinch leaders up of nan gathering to return swift action to make Moscow salary for its war.

Russian attacks connected Ukraine person surged successful caller weeks, progressively targeting Ukraine’s power infrastructure, but besides civilian infrastructure.

On Wednesday this week, Russia deed Ukraine's second-largest metropolis of Kharkiv, hitting a kindergarten. Several group were killed, including children.

Lahbib emphasised that nan connection to Ukraine remains clear. "We guidelines pinch nan Ukrainians and will support them successful their warfare efforts."

"We are by your broadside always. We will thief you to take sides your borders because your borders are our borders, and we don't want to spot nan Russians further drawback territories, Ukrainian territories."

Asked astir whether Europe is prepared for war, she pointed to nan changing quality of war.

"We are prepared each time for everything," Lahbib said. "But warfare is not [...] a worker knocking astatine your door.

"Today's reality is simply a virus, a chemic attack, a atomic incident that is possibly provoked by powerfulness outages. So we request to person a bully knowing of today's threats."

Watch nan afloat question and reply connected The Europe Conversation, Friday 24 October astatine 21.30 CEST.