A new joint survey by RTL Info, Ipsos, and Le Soir reveals that 67% of Belgians oppose the European Union’s proposal to use frozen Russian assets to finance loans for Ukraine. The poll, released Monday, shows strong public backing for Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s stance that Belgium should not consent to releasing the seized funds.

Analysts attribute this opposition to concerns over potential financial and institutional risks for Belgium, as a significant portion of the frozen assets are held in Brussels-based Euroclear, a key financial clearinghouse. Only 22% of respondents supported the EU plan, while 11% expressed no opinion. Russia’s central bank has denounced the proposal as illegal and vowed to defend its interests through all available means.

The EU recently decided to keep Russian assets frozen indefinitely. Leaders are expected to debate the allocation of these funds to Ukraine during a two-day Brussels summit starting Thursday, amid growing legal and political divisions among member states.

Belgium’s Defence Minister Theo Francken warned that if Russia were to launch a missile strike on Brussels — the centre of NATO — the alliance would respond decisively, bluntly saying that “if Moscow fires a missile at Brussels, we will wipe Moscow off the map.” In an interview with Flemish daily De Morgen, reported by international outlets, Francken dismissed European doubts about United States commitment to Article 5, citing President Donald Trump’s pledge of full backing for NATO allies. He announced about 600 F-35 jets would be deployed across Europe, arguing those aircraft pose detection challenges for Russian forces. Francken cautioned against underestimating Russia’s military-industrial capacity and said Moscow has increased munitions production. He warned a potential Russia–China alignment could challenge the West and stressed the need for unity and stronger European defence coordination. His remarks underscore rising tensions, NATO deterrence postures and political debates over defence preparedness in Europe.

Belgium will officially recognize Palestine as a state during the UN General Assembly in September, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot announced. The decision includes 12 sanctions on Israel, such as banning settlement imports and reviewing procurement with Israeli firms. Prévot said the move responds to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. France, Australia, and Canada have also pledged recognition. Currently, 147 UN member states recognize Palestine. Belgian prosecutors recently referred Israeli soldiers to the ICC for alleged war crimes.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has strongly criticized Donald Trump’s support for Russia regarding Ukraine, calling him a “thug.” Speaking on Thursday, De Wever said, “What Trump is doing is completely against Europe’s interests. He is a real thug.” Despite this, he reaffirmed Belgium’s unwavering support for Ukraine while maintaining diplomatic ties with the US. He emphasized that NATO remains a crucial alliance, and no single president can alter that.