PM to discuss unlocking Russian assets for Ukraine with Belgian leader

Sir Keir Starmer will discuss using frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine in a meeting with the Belgian premier amid resistance in Brussels to the move.

The Prime Minister is expected to host Bart De Wever on Friday afternoon for Downing Street talks which will also cover migration and economic growth.

Britain has said it is ready to move in tandem with the EU to unlock immobilised Russian sovereign assets, the vast majority of which are held in Belgium, to support Kyiv financially.

Brussels has opposed the move, citing legal and financial risks and calling on other nations in the trading bloc to share the risk.

Asked what the Prime Minister’s message was to European countries who may be nervous about using assets ahead of Friday’s meeting, Sir Keir’s official spokesman said: “We’re continuing work with our European partners to make use of the value of Russian sovereign assets immobilised in our jurisdictions.”

It comes as precarious peace efforts surrounding a US-led plan to end the war continue, with European leaders including Sir Keir due to meet in Berlin on Monday.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are also reportedly expected at the meeting.

Relations between Europe and the US are strained after the Trump administration’s national security strategy accused European officials of holding “unrealistic expectations” over the war.

Donald Trump this week castigated Ukraine’s allies on the continent as “weak” leaders of “decaying” nations failing to “produce” anything as “the war just keeps going on and on”.

The US president spoke with Sir Keir, Mr Macron and Mr Merz on Wednesday, before the White House said on Thursday that he was “sick of meetings just for the sake of meeting” and “wants action”.

European leaders have said “intensive” work towards securing a peace deal is ongoing, with officials due to meet in Paris over the weekend for further talks.

Mr Zelensky has said negotiators are wrestling with the question of territorial possession in US-led peace talks, including the future of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region and the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

He revealed details of discussions before he headed into urgent talks, co-chaired by Sir Keir, with leaders and officials from about 30 countries that support Kyiv’s efforts to secure fair terms in any settlement.

In Washington, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said US special envoy Steve Witkoff is continuing discussions with both sides but that it was “still up in the air whether we believe real peace can be achieved”.