The European country holding the most Russian assets speaks out, the prospect of "unfreezing" frozen funds

On March 21, Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever rejected the idea of ​​seizing the frozen assets of the Russian Central Bank in his country. He said that this would have extremely serious consequences for the world financial system.

The EU has decided not to seize more than $200 billion in Russian assets that it has frozen in 2022. (Source: Financial Times)

Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Prime Minister de Wever stressed: "We live in a real world, not a fictional world. If you confiscate someone's assets, there will be consequences, threatening the entire global financial system."

The Belgian leader added that the decision "will anger the Russians, giving Moscow every opportunity to respond and is already planning a response."

Previously, on March 20, the European Union (EU) decided not to confiscate more than $200 billion in Russian assets that the bloc had frozen in 2022.

The bloc cited legal and financial stability risks associated with the decision, but said the interest income generated by the assets would continue to be used to support Kiev, according to a document adopted at the EU summit.

After Russia launched a military campaign in Ukraine in 2022, the West froze nearly half of the country's foreign exchange reserves, equivalent to about 300 billion EUR.

More than 200 billion euros are in the EU, mostly in accounts at Belgium's Euroclear - one of the world's largest clearing and settlement systems.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly criticized the freezing of its assets in Europe as theft.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said his country would respond to the West's seizure of Moscow's frozen assets.

"We also have the possibility of not returning the money that Western countries keep in Russia," said Sergey Lavrov.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/nuoc-chau-au-nam-giu-nhieu-tai-san-nga-nhat-len-tieng-trien-vong-coi-troi-khoan-tien-bi-phong-toa-308482.html