Belgian PM: We are not at war with Russia, can't seize assets

BRUSSELS. Jan 22 (Interfax) - European countries cannot seize Russian assets, as they are not at war with Russia, Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever said.

""Of course, you cannot just take somebody's money. We're not at war with Russia, Europe is not at war with Russia," de Wever said at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday.

He said there had been no such precedents even during WWII.

The EU has managed to agree on a 90-billion-euro assistance package for Ukraine, de Wever said.

""It's Europe's obligation to finance Ukraine, and we did this. Europe will never win beauty prizes for the way it takes decisions, but at the end of the day there is a result: 90 billion [euros] to finance Ukraine this year and next year," he said.

He added that Russian assets "will be immobilized until the end of the war."

Earlier, the European Commission considered the possibility of a loan for Ukraine, using immobilized Russian assets, a substantial part of which is stored at the Euroclear depository in Belgium. However, Belgium opposed the decision, citing possible litigation and financial costs.