Belgian prime minister calls it theft

Belgian Prime Minister Michel Schmidt called the European Commission's proposal to use Russian assets obtained as a result of sanctions for financing actions in the conflict zone with Ukraine "theft" at a press conference. He emphasized that this initiative violates international law norms and may lead to further political instability.

Schmidt stated that he would turn to court when possible in an attempt to block the implementation of this decision. He also noted that the amendment of the European Parliament and Council providing for the distribution of "copies" of Russian assets to Ukrainian citizens is highly controversial and requires actual justification.

In response, the European Commission pointed out that this is about a transparent mechanism intended to help Ukraine, not about "sophisticated" manipulations.

The situation is within the context of EU sanctions against Russia and the ongoing war on Ukrainian territory, where the EU actively discusses measures to ensure the protection of the rights of Ukrainian citizens and support for the country's sovereignty.

Context

The European Commission's decision complies with the international resolution aimed at reducing the impact of sanctions on Ukraine.