Belgian Royal Couple Visits Norway Amid Frozen Russian Assets Dispute

The Belgian king and queen arrive in Norway this week for an official state visit, with frozen Russian assets held in Brussels expected to dominate closed-door discussions, Dagbladet reports.

King Philippe (65) and Queen Mathilde (53) of Belgium will meet Norway’s King Harald, Crown Prince Haakon, and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre during their visit. While public events are scheduled, private talks may address Belgium’s handling of approximately €140 billion in frozen Russian funds—assets seized after Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The European Commission has proposed using interest earnings from these assets to back loans for Ukraine, but Belgium—alongside Italy, Bulgaria, and Malta—has resisted, citing fears of Russian retaliation. Belgian officials have reportedly faced pressure from Russian intelligence and have sought risk-sharing guarantees from other nations.

Norway, a leading Ukraine supporter, has recently hosted NATO exercises and provided substantial aid. Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide will formally raise the Ukraine conflict with his Belgian counterpart, per Norway’s Foreign Ministry. The royal household confirmed the king and crown prince would avoid the contentious financial issue, focusing instead on less sensitive bilateral topics.

The dispute stems from a broader EU effort to secure €210 billion for Ukraine by 2030, complicated by stalled U.S. funding. Norway’s government previously rejected opposition proposals to use its sovereign wealth fund as collateral for Ukraine loans.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has faced both criticism and praise for resisting EU pressure on the assets. The visit underscores divisions among Ukraine’s allies over how to leverage Russian funds without provoking escalation.