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EU Divided Over €140 Billion Reparations Loan for Ukraine Using Frozen Russian Assets
European Union leaders remain at odds over an ambitious plan to use frozen Russian assets to fund a €140 billion loan for Ukraine, after Belgium blocked the proposal during a summit in Brussels this week. The initiative, designed to finance Ukraine’s military and reconstruction needs for 2026 and 2027, has become a major test of Europe’s political unity and financial resolve amid waning U.S. support for Kyiv.
The proposal would see the EU issue a “reparations loan” backed by roughly €185 billion in immobilised Russian central bank assets held at Euroclear, a Brussels-based securities depository. The funds, frozen since 2022 under Western sanctions following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, currently generate billions in annual windfall profits for Belgium.
However, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever halted progress, citing fears of Russian retaliation and potential legal fallout. Belgium maintains an investment treaty with Moscow that could expose it to international arbitration if the assets are transferred. “If you take the money from my country and it goes wrong, I am not able—and certainly not willing—to pay €140 billion,” De Wever said after the summit. “Those who support this decision must guarantee that the solidarity will be there if things go sour.”
Despite the setback, EU officials agree on the goal: to make Russia, not European taxpayers, pay for the destruction in Ukraine. What remains unresolved is how to do it legally and safely.
Under the plan, Euroclear would transfer the cash to the European Commission, which would then issue the €140 billion loan to Ukraine in tranches tied to spending conditions, such as using the funds to purchase European-made equipment. Ukraine would only begin repayment after Russia ends the war and agrees to pay reparations, allowing Euroclear to eventually reimburse Moscow—a structure Brussels insists does not amount to confiscation.
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde has warned against any move that could be seen as seizing sovereign assets outright, but has indicated the reparations loan might be feasible with more technical safeguards. EU leaders are also calling for transparency about how much each member state holds in frozen Russian funds and how profits are being used.
Germany and the Netherlands expressed sympathy for Belgium’s concerns but stressed the need for shared risk across the bloc. Hungary has already said it will not participate. French President Emmanuel Macron said technical issues must be resolved but insisted the project remains “on the table.”
With the U.S. scaling back financial support, Europe faces mounting pressure to find long-term solutions. The European Commission is expected to present an updated proposal before the next summit in December, seen as the deadline for a breakthrough.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, addressing EU leaders by video, urged swift action. “Ukraine will need this funding at the very beginning of 2026,” he said. “Not everything depends on us—it’s a political decision.”
News
Investigation Underway After Goa Nightclub Fire Kills at Least 25
Authorities in the Indian state of Goa have opened an investigation into a nightclub fire that killed at least 25 people, including several tourists, in one of the region’s most popular party districts. Six others were injured in the blaze, which broke out shortly after midnight in Arpora, a nightlife hub about 25 kilometres from the state capital, Panaji.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant confirmed the death toll in a statement posted on X, saying the victims included many of the club’s kitchen staff and a small number of visiting tourists. He added that all the injured were in stable condition and receiving medical treatment. Rescue teams recovered all bodies from the site.
Early reports from local police, cited by the Press Trust of India, indicated that a gas cylinder explosion triggered the fire. Witnesses, however, told the agency that the blaze appeared to start on the club’s first floor, where nearly 100 tourists were dancing at the time. As smoke and flames swept through the building, many people ran toward the lower floor, where they became trapped along with staff members.
Sawant said a formal inquiry would determine the exact cause and whether the club complied with fire safety regulations. He pledged strict action against anyone found responsible, writing on X that any negligence uncovered by investigators would be “dealt with firmly”.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as patrons attempted to flee the burning building. “We rushed out of the club only to see that the entire structure was up in flames,” said Fatima Shaikh, who was inside when the fire began.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences in a message on X, calling the incident “deeply saddening” and wishing the injured a swift recovery.
Local media reported that the club’s location along the Arpora River backwaters posed challenges for emergency crews. A narrow approach road forced fire engines to park about 400 metres from the entrance, slowing their response. Reports also revealed that the building had previously received a demolition notice after officials found it lacked a construction permit. That order was later withdrawn by senior state authorities, according to Arpora councillor Roshan Redkar.
Incidents involving gas cylinders and electrical faults are not unusual in India and often lead to heavy casualties, prompting renewed calls for stronger enforcement of safety standards. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the tragedy as a “criminal failure of safety and governance” and urged a transparent investigation to establish accountability and prevent future disasters.
The probe into the fire is expected to assess structural safety, emergency exits and compliance with existing regulations as authorities work to piece together how the late-night gathering turned into one of the deadliest incidents in the state in recent years.
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