European elites want to benefit from Ukraine crisis, MEP says

BRUSSELS, April 9. /TASS/. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and some other European politicians have no interest in a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine, as they profit from arms supplies to Kiev, Belgian MEP Marc Botenga stated.

"Instead of seeking a negotiated end to the bloodshed, De Wever and certain members of the European elite are escalating the conflict, stating that their businesses benefit from it," he said in an interview with Bel RTL radio.

Botenga clarified that he was not advocating for a reduction in Belgium’s defense production, which existed long before the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine. According to him, European leaders are now facing a critical choice: pursue diplomacy or continue a "perpetual war" that guarantees steady profits for the defense industry.

He argued that the European Union needs a security system based entirely on diplomacy. Botenga also emphasized that it is unacceptable to address European security without the EU's direct involvement. However, he noted, the EU has allowed itself to be sidelined in the negotiation process and currently plays no role in the Russia-US dialogue.

On April 8, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, accompanied by the defense and foreign ministers as well as the heads of ten Belgian defense companies, visited Kiev. At a joint press conference with Vladimir Zelensky, De Wever announced that Belgium would provide an arms package worth €1 billion to Kiev and would allocate a similar amount annually for military support in the future. He added that Belgian firms had already signed four contracts for joint arms production with Ukraine.

According to estimates by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy in Germany, Belgium supplied €1.58 billion worth of military aid to Ukraine from February 2022 to December 2024. The aid included underwater drones, grenade launchers, light small arms, and domestically produced ammunition. Belgium also trained more than 3,000 Ukrainian military personnel. In total, the EU has supported Ukraine with €132.3 billion.