How Belgium became Russia's most valuable asset

It became clear that something had gone wrong by the time the langoustines were served for lunch.

The European Union’s leaders arrived on Oct. 23 for a summit in rain-soaked Brussels to welcome Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with a gift he sorely needed: a huge loan of some €140 billion backed by Russian assets frozen in a Belgian bank. It would be enough to keep his besieged country in the fight against Russia’s invading forces for at least the next two years.

The assorted prime ministers and presidents were so convinced by their plan for the loan that they were already arguing among themselves over how the money should be spent. France wanted Ukraine to buy weapons made in Europe. Finland, among others, argued that Zelenskyy should be free to procure whatever kit he needed from wherever he could find it.

But when the discussion broke up for lunch without agreement on raiding the Russian cash, reality dawned: Modest Belgium, a country of 12 million people, was not going to allow the so-called reparations loan to happen at all.

Read More: https://www.politico.eu/article/belgium-russia-bart-de-wever-moscow-funds-brussels-bank-ukraine-war/

Belgium learned nothing from WWI and WWII? Do they want to wait until Russian bombs drop on Belgium children's hospitals, senior centers, grammar schools, civilian apartment complexes as well as their entire power grid? I agree with the headline. Belgium is now one of Russia's most valuable assets. I will even say more valuable to Russia than Orban in Hungary.