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Merz supports Belgium’s position against confiscating Russian assets

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever strongly objected to confiscating Russian assets, saying that this would have "systemic consequences"

BERLIN, August 26. /TASS/. The potential expropriation of Russian assets would have consequences for Belgium, home to the Euroclear central securities depository where much of those funds are held, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said.

"I foresee consequences for the capital market if such Central Bank assets are touched. So, I share the Belgian prime minister’s concerns about this," he said at a joint news conference with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, adding that such moves would be fraught with risks to depository holder Belgium.

De Wever strongly objected to confiscating Russian assets, saying that this would have "systemic consequences."

Around 200 billion euro of Russian sovereign assets remain frozen in the European Union, with the majority of them being held in Belgium’s Euroclear.

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