Bart De Wever

EU leaders agreed on a plan to finance Ukraine through joint borrowing after 16 hours of negotiations. Politico named Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever as the main "winners" of the summit.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever in Brussels. The main topic of discussion was the use of frozen Russian assets for the benefit of Ukraine, as well as coordination with Europe and the United States on the peace process.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will be forced to significantly reduce drone production if it does not receive funding in the spring, including a reparations loan. These funds are planned to be used for the country's recovery or for drone production if the war continues.

President of the European Council António Costa stated that a decision on supporting Ukraine would be made by the end of the EU summit. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen also confirmed that leaders would not leave the summit without an agreement on financing Ukraine for the next two years.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever stated that the texts on frozen Russian assets for the EU summit are still being worked on. Belgium does not support the idea of a reparations loan, but is ready for it if the risks are shared and the country is protected.

Orban announced that Moscow was preparing a "harsh response" to the EU's decision on the use of frozen Russian assets. He stated that he had personal communication with Vladimir Putin.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the possibility of financial support for Ukraine through the issuance of joint EU debt, as an alternative to using frozen Russian sovereign assets. This comes ahead of a meeting of EU leaders where ways to finance Ukraine will be discussed amid its expected deficit of 135 billion euros by 2027.

The European Commission is trying to persuade Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to support a proposed loan to Ukraine, financed by immobilized Russian assets. De Wever expresses concerns about the risks to the Belgian economy if Russia tries to reclaim the assets.

The EU leaders' summit on Thursday will test whether the bloc can hold together or whether US President Donald Trump can divide it. Officials of the Trump administration have been pushing European governments to reject a plan to use 210 billion euros of Russian assets to finance Ukraine.

The European Union is facing a critical week as it tries to protect Ukraine from an unfavorable peace deal imposed by the US and Russia, and to save a multi-billion euro loan financing agreement for Ukraine. EU leaders will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and American officials in Berlin to discuss a peace deal, and will also fight for support for the lending plan among European governments.

The European Union is developing strategies to persuade Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to support the allocation of 210 billion euros to Ukraine. If Belgium continues to block the plan, it may be ignored at the EU level, similar to Hungary.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever does not rule out legal action if the EU decides to seize Russian assets in Euroclear, emphasizing that the risks cannot be borne solely by Belgium. He considers confiscation a radical and ill-considered step, proposing other options for financing aid to Ukraine.

EU countries will have to allocate billions of euros to guarantee loans to Ukraine totaling up to 210 billion euros, with Germany providing support of up to 52 billion euros. The European Commission presented these figures after proposing a "reparation loan" for Ukraine of 165 billion euros from frozen Russian assets.

European Union leaders will discuss the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine at a summit on December 18. Belgium has a special position on this issue, and the US is trying to block EU plans to use these assets.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the importance of financial support for Ukraine for European security. She also stated that Belgium's situation regarding frozen Russian assets must be resolved in such a way that all European states bear the same risk.

Euroclear CEO Valerie Urbain believes that frozen Russian assets should be used for peace negotiations rather than to finance a reparations loan to Ukraine. This would avoid complex legal risks and preserve leverage.

The US is trying to block EU plans to use frozen assets of the Russian central bank to support a loan to Ukraine. Washington believes that these assets are necessary to secure a peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever will hold talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. Belgium expresses concerns about legal aspects and potential risks for its taxpayers.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever blocked an EU plan to provide Ukraine with a 140 billion euro loan. He fears legal and financial retaliation from Russia.

European governments accuse Belgium of excessive demands for protection in case the Kremlin sues over the use of 140 billion euros in frozen Russian assets. This could derail negotiations on the EU's plan to provide these assets to Ukraine before the December summit.

EU countries are increasing pressure on Belgium to unblock 140 billion euros of frozen Russian reserves. Belgium is accused of concealing information about tax revenues received from these assets.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever stated that the EU's plan to use frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine could harm a peace agreement. Belgium has not seen the legal wording from the European Commission, which will present a proposal this week on the use of the assets.

The European Commission is urging Western allies to speed up payments on a $50 billion loan to Ukraine. This comes as Belgium is stalling EU efforts to support Ukraine with a larger financing scheme using Russian assets.

The coalition in Belgium has agreed on a budget deal worth 9. 2 billion euros until 2029 to avoid the collapse of the government. The agreement includes raising excise duties on gas, some recreational goods, and air ticket taxes, as well as bringing 100,000 people back to work.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sent a letter to EU leaders assessing Ukraine's funding needs for 2026-2027. This amount is 135.7 billion euros, based on the assumption that the war will end in 2026.

The European Commission has offered Belgium significant guarantees regarding a €140 billion loan to Ukraine to protect it from the legal and financial consequences of using Russian assets. EU countries are ready to assume the risks of Russian retaliation, including those arising from bilateral investment treaties.

The European Union has offered Ukraine €90 billion in funding in the form of a grant or a loan backed by EU debt. This will happen if countries fail to approve the desired plan to use frozen Russian assets.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius suggested that drone sightings over Belgium could be related to discussions about the use of frozen Russian assets. Belgium holds 183 billion euros in Russian assets, which constitutes the majority of all Russian state assets in the EU.

The European Commission and the Belgian government will meet to overcome the political deadlock regarding the use of frozen Russian assets. Belgium is in no hurry to approve the plan due to fears of financial and legal risks, demanding guarantees and risk sharing with other EU countries.

The European Commission confirmed the commitments made at the EU summit to meet Ukraine's financial needs in 2026 and 2027, continuing work, including on a "reparations loan. " The issue will be discussed again at the European Council in December, after the Belgian Prime Minister blocked the use of frozen Russian assets at the October summit.