Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said his country “100%” supports Ukraine and backs continued sanctions pressure on Russia, despite his earlier comments about the possible “normalization” of relations with Moscow in the future.
He made the remarks while speaking to journalists ahead of a European Council meeting.
Clarifying remarks on “normalization” with Russia
Earlier, De Wever suggested that Europe may eventually need to seek a path toward agreements with Russia, citing the limits of military and economic pressure.
“Since we cannot intimidate Putin by supplying weapons to Ukraine, and cannot bring him to his knees economically without the support of the United States, there is only one option left: to reach an agreement.”
Following criticism, he clarified that he was referring only to a hypothetical scenario after the war ends.
Support for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia
The prime minister stressed that Belgium’s position remains unchanged: continued support for Ukraine and increased pressure on Russia.
“Belgium 100% wants to continue supporting Ukraine and maintain strong pressure on Russia. We are advocating for the 20th package of sanctions.”
He also emphasized that Europe must not finance the war, particularly through energy purchases, and ruled out resuming imports of Russian gas.
Context
The Belgian PM’s statements come amid ongoing EU discussions on further support for Ukraine and new sanctions against Russia.
European officials have previously stressed that normalization of relations with Moscow is impossible until the war ends on terms acceptable to Ukraine.
Earlier, The Ukrainian Review reported that U.S. President Donald Trump has shown declining interest in negotiations to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, with his attention now largely focused on tensions with Iran. As a result, diplomatic efforts on Ukraine have effectively stalled.
