{"id":4804,"date":"2025-12-18T12:51:22","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T12:51:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=4804"},"modified":"2025-12-18T12:51:22","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T12:51:22","slug":"eu-would-act-in-full-solidarity-to-protect-belgium-if-russia-retaliates-against-frozen-assets-being-sent-to-ukraine-europe-live-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=4804","title":{"rendered":"EU would act in \u2018full solidarity\u2019 to protect Belgium if Russia retaliates against frozen assets being sent to Ukraine \u2013 Europe live | Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"

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EU proposes new draft language to convince Belgium, but it’s all yet to be confirmed – snap analysis<\/h2>\n
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\"Jennifer<\/div>\n

Jennifer Rankin<\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n

in Brussels<\/em><\/p>\n

The EU would act in \u201cfull solidarity\u201d with Belgium<\/a> and other member states affected by any fallout from the reparations loan, according to a draft summit text.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\"Belgium's<\/picture><\/div>
<\/svg><\/span>Belgium’s prime minister Bart De Wever reacts as he arrives at a round table ahead of the European Council meeting in Brussels.<\/span> Photograph: John Thys\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Belgium<\/strong>, which holds most of the \u20ac210bn frozen Russian assets in the EU, has said it will not sign up to a reparations loan for Ukraine<\/a> unless it has unlimited guarantees<\/strong> the rest of the union will help pay the bill if Moscow is successful in suing for its money.<\/p>\n

The latest version of the summit communique, seen by the Guardian, shows that EU officials striving to convince the Belgians.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201cThe European Union will act in full solidarity with affected member states and financial institutions in the EU in the context of the reparations loan.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The text promises \u201cEU solidarity and risk sharing among all member states providing guarantees<\/strong> proportional to the size of their economy\u201d and notes that some support could be for non-military purposes.<\/p>\n

This underlines that not all member states, i.e, Hungary and Slovakia, support a reparations loan<\/strong> and therefore the guarantees that go with it. The text also offers a way to involve neutral states, such as Ireland,<\/strong> who provide non-lethal military and civilian aid only to Ukraine.<\/p>\n

It also states the guarantees would have no impact on how member states account for their national debt<\/strong> \u2013 a crucial point as several EU countries are already in special measures for excessive government debt and deficits.<\/p>\n

And it stresses the importance of \u201cburden sharing and coordination of efforts with G7 and other like-minded partners\u201d.<\/strong> That means the EU wants other countries holding Russian assets \u2013 the<\/strong> UK, Japan, Canada, Switzerland and Norway<\/strong>, for instance \u2013 to follow suit if leaders agree to tap the assets as the basis for a loan.<\/p>\n

All these points and many more remain in square brackets,<\/strong> the negotiating shorthand for to be confirmed<\/em>\u2026<\/p>\n

We will find out later, probably much later, if Belgium is convinced.<\/p>\n