USA called on several European countries block the allocation of a “reparation loan” to Ukraine at the expense offrozen Russian assetsbecause they needed to achieve a peace dealrather than continuing the war, Bloomberg reports, citing sources.
Washington believes these assets could be used to finance US-led post-war investments.
Leaders of key countries EUin turn, stated that the use of Russian assets is their business, not the United States.
Friedrich Merz insists that Russian money should go to help Ukraine
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz categorically rejected plans by American negotiators to pay the US Russian government funds frozen in the EU:“This money should go to Ukraine. Ukraine needs help […] survive the winter and possibly finance it for the next two to three years. For this we need funds” Merz said last night in Berlin.
The Chancellor emphasized: “This is a European issue, and I do not see the possibility in any form of transferring to the United States the money that we are mobilizing. And the American government knows this.”
In Washington there is “some”who wants to “receive a certain economic benefit,” says Merz: “This is legal, but this is not the purpose of the operation we are now launching in Europe in the coming days.”
On Friday evening, Merz once again tried to persuade Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to approve a €165 billion loan to Ukraine. The decision is due to be taken at a summit on December 18 and 19 in Brussels by all 27 EU leaders.
Prime Minister of Belgium “What if they us?”
A day earlier, Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever, in an interview with La Libre, explained why Belgium does not agree to the confiscation of Russian assets, and it must be said that after his explanation it became clear that it is not just about assets alone.
First, Weber invited his European colleagues to ask the question “What if they us?”that is, what will happen if Russia responds by announcing the confiscation of European assets?
Belgian factories in Russia may also be confiscated. What if Belarus and China also confiscate Western assets? Have we thought about this? No, we didn’t think so. I asked my European colleagues if they were prepared to share the risks facing Belgium. Only Germany said it was ready to do this…
The Belgian Prime Minister reasonably remarked: “The Russian Federation will not lose the war; statements about its defeat are “a fable and a complete illusion.” Therefore, the assets will have to be returned to the Kremlin after the war.
Rushing forward with the proposed reparation loan mechanism will result in us as the EU effectively preventing a possible peace agreement from being reached.
Such assets were usually the subject of decisions after the end of the war, in the context of the payment of reparations by the losing side.”
Let us note that, in addition, the confiscation is opposed Hungary and Slovakia. But if the Americans really are putting pressure on European countries to block the reparation loan, then the number of its opponents among EU members may grow.
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