Belgium freezes highest amount of Russian assets of all EU countries

Since the start of the Russian war in Ukraine, the Belgian treasury has frozen €58 billion worth of Russian assets, the highest amount of any EU Member State.

"The war in Ukraine is lasting longer than we all thought and feared. A strict follow-up of the economic sanctions measures against Russia, therefore, remains crucial," said Vincent Van Peteghem, the Federal Minister of Finance on Friday 24 February, marking exactly one year since Russia invaded Ukrainian territory.

As part of the sanctions packages issued by the European Commission — the 27 EU countries agreed on the tenth on Friday night — Belgium has prided itself in applying these sanctions quickly and strictly. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, it has frozen €58 billion worth of Russian assets and blocked €191 billion euros of Russian financial transactions.

In total, the measures adopted by Belgium have affected 1,789 blacklisted Russian companies or citizens, Van Peteghem noted.

Source: The Brussel Times