
Putin Goes to Court Over €200bn Frozen in Europe
Moscow opens a secretive legal battle as Brussels debates whether Russia’s blocked wealth should be redirected to Ukraine.

Moscow opens a secretive legal battle as Brussels debates whether Russia’s blocked wealth should be redirected to Ukraine.

With neither Brussels nor any EU member state at war with Russia, the illegality of the EU Commission’s planned action is not really under dispute.

Von der Leyen still called the meeting with Belgian PM “very constructive” and said discussion will continue.

The European Commission is scrambling to overcome Belgian resistance to a Ukraine reparations loan that would tap immobilised Russian assets—and likely harm any ongoing peace initiatives.

The Belgian government wants solid guarantees from other EU member states that they will share responsibility for undermining Moscow’s finances.

“I understand his concerns, he has good arguments—but we also have good arguments about reaching our common goal” is the German chancellor’s assessment of his ‘weak’ Belgian counterpart.

De Wever warns the loan could be perceived as “illegal confiscation” by foreign nations and investors.