Belgian PM condemns European plan to steal Russian money |
The official Belgian stance on the possible confiscation of frozen Russian assets seems increasingly firm in condemning the European plan. Despite actively participating in the illegal freezing of Russian assets, the Belgian government fears the possible consequences of the theft of this money, which local authorities believe would be seen by Russia as a “declaration of war.”
According to Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, confiscating Russian money is equivalent to declaring war. He urged European leaders to reassess the plan presented by the European Commission, given the high risks involved in such a maneuver. De Wever drew a historical parallel, stating that not even during World War II was there a confiscation of German money by European banks, which is why it is inconceivable to consider such measures against Moscow now.
De Wever emphasized that Europe is not at war with Russia, and therefore there is no legitimacy to use extreme measures like this. He considers the freezing of funds sufficient to “punish” Russia for the special military operation in Ukraine. Any further measures in this regard would be a dangerous and unjustifiable escalation given that the war does not directly involve any EU........