EU leaders are preparing to consider legal proposals for financing for Ukraine by mid-week, while the European Commission continues consultations on a "reparations loan" with member states, including Belgium, which is resisting, and EU leaders face hard work in the coming weeks to examine the proposal and try to find a solution before the next EU summit on December 18-19, Politico reports, writes UNN.
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"EU leaders are preparing to consider legal proposals by mid-week on how to keep Ukraine financially afloat. However, the path ahead looks more strained than ever as the depth of Belgium's objections to using frozen Russian assets becomes increasingly apparent," the publication writes.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot, in a comment to the publication, as stated, "doubled down on his boss's objections," Prime Minister Bart De Wever, to the so-called "reparations loan," targeting leaders and officials who insist that using Russian assets is the only reliable way forward.
Prevot stated that the EU's inability to find a clear way to financially support Ukraine so far is not Belgium's fault, but a result of the bloc's "stubbornness" in insisting on using Russian assets, "without knowing how to do it and without understanding the risks involved."
Prevot went on to describe the "reparations loan" as a problem for ongoing peace negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine: "It is now clear that these assets can play an important role in a peace plan… Our actions should not create obstacles to a peace plan."
Asked if the European Commission was still working on a "reparations loan" despite Belgium's objections, a spokesperson replied: "Yes, as one of the options proposed in the options paper presented by President Ursula von der Leyen." The spokesperson added that "Brussels continues consultations on the loan with member states, including Belgium."
This echoes comments by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said at a press conference on Friday that he "understands [Belgium's] concerns… but we also have strong arguments for achieving a common goal – to put as much pressure as possible on Russia to end this war."
However, EU diplomats and officials who spoke to the publication over the weekend "expressed concern about the tone, timing, and public nature of De Wever's letter, as well as his insistence that a reparations loan could be an obstacle to peace." "It certainly had a note of finality," one diplomat said.
"This last argument is of particular concern, diplomats said, given that it contradicts the EU's strategy of increasing pressure on Russia and seems to align with US President Donald Trump's more Moscow-friendly stance," the publication writes. "There are members of the [US] administration who want to do business with Russia," an EU official said. "This issue with assets doesn't suit them." Asked if Belgium had contacted the Trump White House about the loan, a foreign ministry spokesperson said they "have no information about such contacts."
However, tensions, as the publication notes, are only increasing. An article mentioning five diplomats who questioned how Belgium is using tax revenues from assets has been a hot topic in the city in recent days, the publication notes. "Every diplomat, except the Belgian ones, talks about the money they make from it," the same EU official said.
Such rumors, as noted, are expected to hang over the meeting of defense ministers, which was convened in Brussels this morning. EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas will chair the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council and give a press conference at 2:00 PM local time (3:00 PM Kyiv time), the publication writes.
EU leaders are now preparing for hard work in the coming weeks, carefully examining the European Commission's legal proposal and trying to find a solution in time for the next European Council meeting on December 18-19. All options on the table – increasing debt for Ukraine; using the EU budget; and using Russian assets – have their weaknesses. But failure is not an option
"It will be extremely difficult," one diplomat said. "There is no easy way out."
"Ultimately, European Council President António Costa will aim to ensure a solution is found in December," the same diplomat added. "Costa will decide whether to put the ball in the net at the European Council. You close the doors and say, 'You're not leaving until you find a solution,'" he noted.