Will the EU Try to Seize Another €200 Billion from Russian Assets? Belgium Says: No Way
The EU is clearly still trying to pull a fast one on Belgium.
Recently, the UK's Financial Times reported that Sweden, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain had jointly urged the European Commission to restart discussions on reallocating around €200 billion in frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.
Late last week, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken indirectly confirmed this report during an interview, stating that the matter "is not open for negotiation," the door has been closed, and warning certain EU member states not to keep raising the issue, saying it would be unwise to push Belgium into a corner.
Meanwhile, Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib took a sharper stance, pointing out that if all parties were willing to share the burden of potential Russian retaliation and legal liability arising from seizing Russian assets, then there could still be room for discussion. But since EU countries want to benefit without accepting responsibility, the issue is off the table.
Belgium’s accusation isn’t unfounded. Aside from the fact that last year’s EU discussion on dividing Russian assets was ultimately dropped due to strong opposition from Belgium—especially over other nations’ refusal to accept accountability—according to reports by European news outlets, Sweden’s position remains unchanged: wanting to gain benefits without taking responsibility. The report notes that while Sweden’s letter acknowledged the legal risks involved in seizing Russian assets, it refused to bear what it called “an excessive burden.”
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1875125474000967/
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