PM and Belgian leader in talks on Russian assets

SIR Keir Starmer has held talks with the Belgian premier on the prospect of using frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine amid concerns in Brussels over the move.

- NINA LLOYD and HELEN CORBETT

The Prime Minister hosted Bart De Wever in Downing Street yesterday afternoon as European leaders seek to agree a path forward to providing Kyiv with further support.

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.

But Belgium has so far resisted the move, calling on other nations in the trading bloc to share the risk amid fears it would be left on the hook to pay back the loan if Russia succeeded in thwarting the plan.

At the top of his meeting with Sir Keir, Mr De Wever said there are "very important decisions to be made" in the EU next week and he insisted "we and the UK will move together" to ensure Kyiv's sovereignty.