On December 4, in an interview with the media, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever clarified Brussels' views on the plan to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.
Mr. De Wever revealed that Russia had sent warning signals directly to Belgium and him personally. The Belgian leader expressed deep concern that if Brussels without careful preparation agrees to these sensitive financial plans, his country could face long-term and unpredictable security consequences.
The concern of Belgian authorities has become more well-founded as the actual security situation in this country has recently shown unusual signs. Last month, operations at the main airport in the capital Brussels were severely disrupted by the discovery of a drone operating in the prohibited area.
More seriously, security reports have also recorded the appearance of unidentified drones flying over an air base, where Belgium's F-16 strategic fighter jets are stationed, for three consecutive nights. These events have significantly increased Brussels' vigilance against potential security risks.
In terms of strategy and legality, Prime Minister De Wever is cautious. He argued that according to international practice, the responsibility for compensation for war often belongs to the losers after the conflict has ended, not a measure applied unilaterally when the war is taking place.
In addition, he noted the great geopolitical risks of instability in a nuclear power like Russia, comparing the risk to historical fluctuations in the past.
However, Belgium's "hands-to-hand" situation has encountered mixed reactions from Ukraine. Officials and military representatives in Kiev said that European leaders are suffering too much psychological impact from Moscow's actions. Lawmaker Yaroslav Yurchyshyn of the Holos opposition party commented that Russia's psychological pressure tactics are effective in reaching the EU leadership.
Many opinions from Ukraine, including lawmakers such as Oleksandr Merezhko and activist Olena Halushka, said that Belgium's stance could set a bad precedent for international legal responsibility.
Ukraine is concerned that the hesitation of Western countries at this key moment could be misunderstood by the opponent as a concession or weakness, leading to mistaken strategic calculations and accidentally prolonging the conflict.
