Time is of the essence, "given the current geopolitical situation." This was stated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen after a meeting with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to exchange views on the situation in Ukraine and frozen Russian assets, UNN reports.
Details
She emphasized that financial support for Ukraine is central to European security.
We had a very constructive exchange of views on this issue. Belgium's special situation regarding the use of frozen Russian assets is undeniable and must be resolved in such a way that all European states bear the same risk
She added that the parties agreed to continue discussions to reach a consensus at the European Council meeting on December 18.
Context
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever stated that he hopes for a "fruitful discussion" with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday regarding the EU's plan to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.
Earlier, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz canceled his trip to Oslo and arrived in Brussels to persuade the Belgian leadership to support a "reparation loan" to Ukraine worth 165 billion euros, using the monetary value of frozen Russian state assets located on Belgian soil.