Key facts
- Zelensky and De Wever met Oct. 15 at the EU summit in Brussels.
- Talks did not produce a breakthrough on using €200 billion in frozen Russian assets.
- Zelensky's public statements focused on Russian attacks and military aid, not assets.
- De Wever's office also made no mention of Russian assets in its post-meeting summary.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever on Oct. 15 on the sidelines of an EU leaders' summit in Brussels. The 20-minute meeting did not yield a breakthrough on the fate of approximately €200 billion ($227 billion) in Russian assets frozen by Euroclear under Belgian jurisdiction.
Following the meeting, Zelensky's Telegram post made no mention of the assets, instead focusing on Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure and cooperation with Belgium on sourcing fighter jets and ammunition. De Wever's chief of staff for foreign affairs and security, Pascal Heyman, also posted about the meeting, highlighting discussions on "Russia's war in Ukraine and Belgium's steadfast assistance to the country," without referencing the frozen assets.
Zelensky had been expected to raise the issue of the EU using frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine's needs, as De Wever had previously been a prominent opponent of such a move. Ukrainian politicians, including Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, have also called for Europe to utilize these assets. A social media post from Zelensky after his meeting with De Wever, but concerning an earlier discussion with Belgian King Philippe, stated it was "important that frozen Russian assets remain immobilized" and that Russia should not receive funds to invest in further conflict.