BRUSSELS — Germany’s Friedrich Merz and European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen mentioned they held “constructive” talks with Belgium over the potential use of billions in frozen Russian property to fund Ukraine.
Merz dashed to Brussels on Friday to persuade Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to relent on his opposition to a plan to make use of the money worth of €165 billion in frozen Russian state property to again a mortgage to Ukraine.
“We agreed that point is of the essence given the present geopolitical state of affairs [and] that monetary help for Ukraine is of central significance for European safety,” von der Leyen posted on social media platform X. “We had a really constructive change on this matter.”
Merz echoed the sentiment in German media. “Belgium’s specific concern concerning the query of methods to make use of frozen Russian property is simple and have to be addressed in any conceivable answer in such a means that every one European states bear the identical danger,” he mentioned.
De Wever supplied no remark and the leaders supplied no indication that any conclusive settlement had been reached with the Belgian premier.
The lion’s share of the property is below the stewardship of Brussels-based monetary depository, Euroclear. De Wever fears that Russia will retaliate towards Belgium at house and overseas, and is demanding ironclad monetary ensures from EU capitals earlier than he even considers backing the Fee’s proposal.
The Fee has repeatedly downplayed Belgium’s perceived authorized dangers however will want De Wever’s help earlier than going forward with the plan. Diplomats have already begun scouring the Fee’s authorized textual content to appease the Belgians earlier than EU leaders collect for a summit in Brussels on Dec. 18.
A “plan B” to make use of joint debt to fund Ukraine additionally appears to be a no-go after Budapest nixed the transfer at an ambassadors’ assembly on Friday.
Kyiv is about to expire of money for its struggle effort early subsequent yr.