The Daily Populous Tuesday December 9th, 2025 evening edition
Authored by politico.eu and submitted by Themetalin

The European Commission wants EU capitals to strike a deal on using up to €210 billion in sanctioned cash before a leaders’ summit on Dec. 18. Belgium, however, is resisting over fears it will be on the hook to repay the full amount if Russia claws back the money.

One of its demands is that other G7 countries beyond the EU issue a loan to Ukraine using the Russian frozen assets that they hold domestically.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has insisted that greater participation by G7 allies will reduce the risk of Russia retaliating solely against Belgium.

However, the U.S. and Japan have refused to join Brussels’ scheme — leaving the EU to bear the brunt of Ukraine’s future financing needs alone.

During the meeting, the U.S. said it will cut support to Ukraine after disbursing the last installments of a G7-wide loan that was negotiated by the Biden administration in 2024, an EU diplomat said.

The war-battered country faces a budget shortfall of €71.7 billion next year and will have to start cutting public spending from April unless fresh money arrives.

diffidentblockhead on December 9th, 2025 at 13:05 UTC »

Most Russian assets are in Europe. The amount in Japan is small.

raincole on December 9th, 2025 at 05:22 UTC »

You don't say? If EU countries themselves can't even form a consistent stance over this, why is Japan, a country far from Europe, obliged to join?

Belgium urges Europe to drop plan for frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine

Garbage_Plastic on December 9th, 2025 at 04:25 UTC »

> Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama has ruled out using the Russian assets due to legal concerns, said an EU diplomat who was briefed on the meeting.

> However, several officials said Japan’s stance was linked to U.S. opposition to using the Russian assets for Ukraine, arguing Tokyo doesn't want to flout its crucial ally. Like the EU diplomats, they were allowed to remain anonymous to discuss sensitive matters.

I guess ’legal concern’ is just an excuse. Hope the war will end sooner than later.