Belgium’s prime minister Bart De Wever has called for Russian assets frozen since the outbreak of conflict in Ukraine to remain in the Euroclear securities depository in Belgium.
De Wever made the call on Tuesday, cautioning that seizing them to aid Ukraine would present major legal hurdles in future.
G7 nations have immobilized around $300 billion in Russian sovereign assets since Moscow’s 2022 invasion. The European Union estimates that €210 billion ($246 billion) of this sum is held within the bloc, largely in government bonds at Euroclear.
“A significant share of these funds is blocked in Brussels at Euroclear. I am aware that some governments are seeking to confiscate the money. But I would warn that this is not straightforward from a legal standpoint,” he told reporters at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin.
De Wever noted that the assets include Russian central bank reserves, which enjoy legal immunity. He warned that any attempt to seize them by political decree could trigger serious repercussions.
“Other states would also withdraw their sovereign funds. This could have systemic consequences and poses grave legal risks. I believe these state funds should remain immobilised,” he said.
He added that using profits generated by the assets to support Ukraine was acceptable, but stressed that the principal should remain untouched.
“It is like a goose that lays golden eggs. We must preserve the goose. Ultimately, when a peace treaty is discussed, then the goose can be placed on the table … Until that moment, it is prudent to maintain the current position,” he remarked.
U.S. President Donald Trump has been spearheading a renewed drive to bring the three-and-a-half-year conflict to an end.
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President Donald Trump declared that the United States will "always be there" for NATO, emphasising the importance of the alliance in countering global threats. In a post on Truth Social, Trump reiterated that Russia and China only feared NATO as long as the U.S. remained a member.
On 8 January, 2026, Azerbaijan will carry out the next delivery of oil products to Armenia, with shipments originating from the Guzdak railway station and the Baku cargo station.
Azerbaijan and Syria have reached an agreement to establish a joint business council aimed at enhancing trade and economic cooperation between the two nations, according to the Syrian embassy in Azerbaijan.
Snow and ice caused travel chaos in northwest Europe on Wednesday, while others were delighted by the snow-covered streets of Paris, venturing out on sledges and skis.
Germany’s foreign intelligence service secretly monitored the telephone communications of former U.S. President Barack Obama for several years, including calls made aboard Air Force One, according to an investigation by the German newspaper Die Zeit.
Diplomatic tensions between Tokyo and Beijing escalated as Japan slams China's export ban on dual-use goods. Markets have wobbled as fears grow over a potential rare earth embargo affecting global supply chains.
Iran’s chief justice has warned protesters there will be “no leniency for those who help the enemy against the Islamic Republic”, as rights groups reported a rising death toll during what observers describe as the country’s biggest wave of unrest in three years.
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) sources reported a significant movement of U.S. military aircraft towards the Middle East in recent hours. Dozens of U.S. Air Force aerial refuelling tankers and heavy transport aircraft were observed heading eastwards, presumably to staging points in the region.
Two people have been killed after a private helicopter crashed at a recreation centre in Russia’s Perm region, Russian authorities and local media have said.
President Donald Trump declared that the United States will "always be there" for NATO, emphasising the importance of the alliance in countering global threats. In a post on Truth Social, Trump reiterated that Russia and China only feared NATO as long as the U.S. remained a member.
The U.S. has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker that had been followed by a Russian submarine on Wednesday, following a more than two-week-long pursuit across the Atlantic as part of a U.S. "blockade" on Venezuelan oil exports, according to two U.S. officials speaking to Reuters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought to advance EU membership discussions and secure stricter sanctions on Russia during a meeting on Wednesday as Cyprus took over the European Union's rotating presidency.
Two people have been killed after a private helicopter crashed at a recreation centre in Russia’s Perm region, Russian authorities and local media have said.
Türkiye is considering draft legislation that would prohibit children under the age of 15 from opening social-media accounts, Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş has said.
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