EU leaders reached a consensus on Thursday to meet Ukraine's financial needs over the next two years but stopped short of authorizing the use of Russian frozen assets as a significant loan for Kyiv due to Belgium's reservations.

The European Council agreed to address Ukraine's urgent financial necessity for 2026-2027. However, the council's text didn't explicitly endorse the use of immobilized Russian assets to fund a 'reparation loan' of approximately 140 billion euros. Instead, it urged the European Commission to explore financial support options based on an assessment of Ukraine's needs.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever stressed his country won't bear all risks associated with such actions and called for shared responsibility among EU members. While advocating for transparency, he

See Full Page