According to DW, discussions are ongoing in the European Union regarding the potential confiscation of frozen Russian assets. However, many members of the bloc are not ready for such a step, as they consider it an “act of war” against the aggressor country Russia.
Points of attention
- The status quo on the confiscation of frozen Russian assets has led to a divide within the EU, with some members adamantly against the decision while others continue to seek ways to address the situation.
- With no consensus reached on the confiscation of frozen assets, the discussions within the EU are expected to continue as different countries weigh the risks and potential consequences of such actions.
Some EU members fear retaliation from Russia
What is important to understand is that there is a status quo on this issue, which is why some members of the European Union are categorically against such a decision.
Another group, for example, the Baltic and Northern European countries, are still actively seeking legal opportunities to confiscate Russia's frozen assets.
"I think this is a signal that we will not see these assets unfrozen in the near future. And the discussion about what to do with them will continue. There is currently no consensus on their confiscation," one of the insiders told the publication.
According to the latest data, one of the countries that openly opposes confiscation is Belgium.
For example, the new Prime Minister, Bart De Wever, began to claim that the removal of frozen assets, their confiscation, “is an act of war.”
"This is not a small detail. We talk about it as if it were a very simple thing. But we do not live in a fantasy world. This is the real world. If you take out 200 billion, there are consequences. The Russians will be angry, and they have the means to respond," he complained.
