Belgium seeks legal clarity on EU plan using frozen Russian funds

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said Thursday that Belgium would not support the EU plan to fund Ukraine with immobilized Russian assets unless a legal basis has been provided.

"I'm looking for the legal basis for this decision. (...) Even during the Second World War, immobilized assets were never touched. So this is very important step. If we would like to take it, we have three demands," De Wever told reporters ahead of the European Council meeting.

He said Belgium seeks the "mutualization of risk," stressing that the country could face "enormous claims" and that EU members must therefore share responsibility.

De Wever underlined the need for joint guarantees, noting that if the fund must be repaid, all member states should contribute equally.

"Third condition is, of course, that if we want to go forward, we have to go forward together. We're not the only country with immobilized Russian assets. We're the only country who offers these assets to Ukraine," he further said, stressing that without a united approach, Russian retaliation could "only hit Belgium."

"That's not very reasonable. (...) Retaliation can be very large. They might confiscate all kinds of monies of Western banks in Russia, confiscate European owned companies in Russia," De Wever added.

De Wever warned that if the three demands are not met, he will take all possible measures at both the European and national levels to block the decision.