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EU, German leaders to turn screws on Belgium over Russian assets — French politician

According to Florian Philippot, Germany realizes that the use of Russian assets will deal a blow to France because two French citizens are the principal shareholders of the Euroclear asset depository

PARIS, December 5. /TASS/. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will try tonight to pressure Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to authorize the seizure of frozen Russian assets, Florian Philippot, leader of France’s Les Patriotes (The Patriots) party, said.

"He has been reluctant to support the EU’s stealing of Russia's frozen assets, which would be an absolutely illegal and extremely dangerous act. Two Germans will join him for dinner tonight in order to put a gun to his head and try to make him agree to that. Those two will be von der Leyen and Merz," the politician wrote on the X social media platform.

According to Philippot, Germany realizes that the use of Russian assets will deal a blow to France because two French citizens are the principal shareholders of the Euroclear asset depository. In this regard, the politician slammed French President Emmanuel Macron as a "traitor."

De Wever is expected to have a closed-door dinner with von der Leyen and Merz in Brussels later today. The politicians will seek to persuade the Belgian leader to ease his country’s terms for backing the European Commission’s plan to seize Russian assets.

The Belgium-based Euroclear depository holds 185 billion euros out of the 210 billion euros in Russian sovereign assets frozen in Europe. Russian Ambassador to Belgium Denis Gonchar told TASS earlier that no matter what scheme the EU used to seize the assets, it would still be a theft. He warned that Russia would react immediately, making the West "calculate its own losses."

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According to Maria Zakharova, this step confirms the absolutely hostile militaristic course of Copenhagen

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Donald Trump emphasized that his administration "is working very hard on it"

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Ukraine drone attack damages port infrastructure in Temryuk — emergencies center

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Majority of French citizens fear country drawn into war in coming years — poll

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The Russian leader recalled that there are general agreements to the effect that the security of one state cannot be guaranteed at the expense of the security of others

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Resumption of economic ties between Russia, United States to benefit both sides — Putin

According to the Russian leader, there are numerous areas for that

EU needs to draw up its own plan regarding Ukraine, says EU Commissioner Kubilius

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US-Ukraine talks in Miami conclude — daily

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The president emphasized that Russia highly values these relations

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Kiev troops bombard Donetsk People’s Republic two times over past day

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The Russian leader noted that if the US has the right to buy Russian fuel, then India should rightly have the same privilege

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Macron acknowledges that Europeans cannot compel Russia to negotiate Ukraine with them

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European Commission’s decision to blacklist Russia completely politicized

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Russia winning conflict in Ukraine, to dictate its terms — The Daily Telegraph

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Vladimir Putin also stressed that freedom can be achieved only by legal means

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Rada’s decision on Russian language shows Kiev wants no peace — Russian MFA

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Russian forces capture Ukrainian FPV drone operators near Krasnoarmeysk

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Putin likes how Russian intelligence does its job, makes no comment on foreign ones

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Revival of Soviet Union makes no sense — Putin

The president said that it would critically change the national and religious composition of the Russian Federation

Europe has exhausted legal tricks on expropriation of Russian assets — FT

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Accepting Russia's conditions on Ukraine to benefit Washington itself — Iranian expert

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EU no longer key player in global politics, economics — top Hungarian diplomat

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Russian diplomat slams Europe for being blind to Ukrainian army’s atrocities

Rodion Miroshnik stressed that Ukrainian militants don’t hide their hatred of the people who live in southeastern Ukraine and Donbass

Russia seeks to end war unleashed by West — Putin

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Security should be guaranteed when using AI, Putin says

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Potential visa-free travel, fuel supplies: takeaways from Putin-Modi negotiations

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