Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever says he is a loyal European as he opposes reparations loan to Ukraine

The Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever is currently under heavy scrutiny for opposing the proposed EU reparations loan to Ukraine from frozen Russian assets. Belgium is opposing this move on various grounds citing lack of legal guarantees, but The Maltese Herald was informed by diplomatic sources in Brussels that there is wide-agreement between the EU members to share guarantees collectively.

Diplomatic sources have also told us that a deal is also likely.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reiterated that Ukraine needs up to €130 billion for the next two years up to 2027 to fund its budget. Pressure is the only language that Vladimir Putin understands she said. The EU Commission will be proposing two solutions to the European Council to fund Ukraine via borrowing from the open market and the reparations loan from the frozen Russian assets.

In Parliament, the Belgian Prime Minister said that Belgium can not bear liability for any legal repercussions and these had to be burdened by the EU. He added that Belgium’s proposal is constructive that they remain loyal Europeans. However, the Belgian Prime Minister’s position has prompted new scrutiny over his past links and friendship with Russia with critics accusing him of retaining good relationships with Russia after Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014.

Th Belgian Prime Minister seems to be demanding that Belgium does not share any legal obligation or guarantees over the reparations loans even if these guarantees are shared collectively. Belgium’s position is also being convoluted by legal obfuscation including a reference it is making to an old treaty signed between Belgium, Luxembourg and the Soviet Union, which Belgium is using as an example of its “international commitment” to Russia. The agreement, the Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union (BLEU)–Russia Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) was signed in 1989.

Prime Minister Bart de Wever’s coalition partner from the liberals (OpenVLD), Tom Ongena, has warned the Premier that Belgium risks becoming Europe’s black sheep with its opposition. Socialist Opposition, Vooruit, condemned the Prime Minister’s position and described it as “moral bankruptcy” while the Belgian Greens are describing it as “fiscal egoism”.

Maltese Herald

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