Belgium's position on frozen Russian assets unchanged, minister says

Belgium's position ​against the use of ​Russia's frozen assets ‌has remained ​unchanged, the country's foreign minister said on Wednesday after a ‌group of European countries sought to reopen a discussion on using frozen funds to help Ukraine. The Netherlands, Poland, Spain ‌and Sweden called last week for the European ‌Union to consider using Russia's frozen assets for Ukraine, with some ministers reiterating the idea at an informal meeting of ⁠EU foreign ​ministers ⁠in Ireland on Wednesday.

"The debate was brought back to the table ⁠at the initiative of four European countries. However, it ​generated little enthusiasm or appetite among colleagues," Belgian Foreign Minister ⁠Maxime Prevot said in a statement after the talks. "I ⁠made ​sure to reiterate Belgium's position, which has remained unchanged for a year. The reasons behind ⁠our opposition have not magically disappeared in the meantime," he ⁠said, ⁠adding that "using these assets through a process amounting to confiscation would entail very significant risks".