Belgium balks at EU plan to seize Russian assets, citing fear of Kremlin retaliation

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are successful talks with a reluctant Belgium implicit what to bash with billions of dollars successful frozen Russian assets held successful the country.

According to the Belgian government, astatine slightest €197 cardinal (approximately $224 billion) of sanctioned Russian assets are held successful Euroclear, a Brussels-based fiscal institution. The European Commission wants to prehend these assets and transportation them to Ukraine arsenic portion of a €165 cardinal fiscal bundle for Ukraine (approximately $190) to assistance wage its bills and money the warfare effort.  

Prime Minister Bart De Wever is acrophobic that taking Russia’s assets could beryllium interpreted arsenic an enactment of warfare by Russia and provoke Russian President Vladimir Putin to retaliate against Belgium.

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Dmitry Medvedev, the lawman caput of the country's Security Council, adjacent threatened Brussels and its European allies successful an inflammatory station connected X.

Belgium's Prime Minister Bart de Wever arrives for a gathering with European Commission President astatine the EU office successful Brussels connected Nov. 14, 2025.  (Nicolas Tucat/AFP via Getty Image)

"If the brainsick EU does bargain frozen Russian assets for a "reparations loan," we whitethorn presumption it arsenic a casus belli with each the applicable implications for Brussels & Co.," the erstwhile Russian president said.

EU leaders are up against a choky clock, arsenic Ukraine is projected to tally retired of funds for the warfare successful April and EU leaders volition convene connected Dec.18 to marque a last determination connected however to enactment Ukraine’s budgetary needs for the adjacent 2 years.

Key European leaders person traveled back-and-forth to Belgium to person the authorities to motion connected to the reparation proposal. The program has wide enactment wrong the European Union, but Belgium’s premier curate has truthful acold stood successful the way.

Russia's Deputy caput of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, takes portion successful a wreath laying ceremonial marking Defender of the Fatherland Day astatine the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin Wall successful Moscow, Russia, Feb. 23, 2024.  (Yekaterina Shtukina/Sputnik/Pool via Reuters.)

"Belgium’s peculiar concern regarding the usage of the frozen Russian assets is undeniable and indispensable beryllium addressed successful specified a mode that each European states carnivore the aforesaid risk. We agreed to proceed our discussions with the purpose of reaching a statement astatine the European Council gathering connected December 18," von der Leyen posted connected X aft gathering with Merz and De Wever.

Merz said aft the gathering that Belgium’s concerns were morganatic and indispensable beryllium heard.

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"What we determine present volition find Europe's future: Belgium's peculiar vulnerability successful the contented of utilizing the frozen Russian assets is indisputable and indispensable beryllium addressed successful specified a mode that each European states carnivore the aforesaid risk," Merz said connected X. 

France's President Emmanuel Macron (L), Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer airs arsenic they conscionable connected the sidelines of the two-day NATO's Heads of State and Government acme successful The Hague connected June 24, 2025.  (Ludovic Marin/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Robert Kremzner, an subordinate expert with the New Lines Institute and an adept successful Russian grey portion warfare, said Russia has a fig of ways it tin people Belgium that autumn beneath the threshold of unfastened hostilities.

"Russia has been precise progressive successful utilizing thing called grey portion warfare, which sees Russia undertaking hostile actions against different nations that are beneath the threshold of war, and frankincense not that casual to respond to," Kremzner told Fox News Digital.

He said immoderate examples see accusation warfare, cyberattacks, predetermination interference, GPS spoofing, cutting undersea cables, and progressively arson attacks and assassinations.

The Belgian government, on with Euroclear, are looking for fiscal guarantees from chap EU subordinate states earlier committing to supporting the plan. De Wever fears that Belgium volition yet beryllium held liable and beryllium forced to wage backmost the assets that are seized successful the lawsuit a sanctions woody is negotiated with Russia arsenic a mode to extremity the warfare successful Ukraine.

The European Commission said it enactment successful spot safeguards to support Member States and fiscal institutions from imaginable retaliatory measures from Russia. 

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Ukrainian servicemen of the 44th artillery brigade occurrence a 2s22 Bohdana self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions astatine the frontline successful the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (Danylo Antoniuk/AP Photo)

If Belgium remains recalcitrant, von der Leyen could edifice to the EU’s Article 122 exigency powers, which would let the committee to determination guardant with the connection connected a majority-rule basis.

Fox News Digital reached retired to the Belgian authorities and Euroclear but did not perceive backmost earlier publication.