7 EU countries against Russia's expropriation

According to Euractiv, seven European Union countries have publicly opposed the expropriation of Russian assets. The 'firm declaration' states that any attempts to 'push through' a decision would cause a serious split in the alliance. In addition to Belgium, Hungary, and Slovakia, Italy, Bulgaria, Malta, and the Czech Republic have joined this position. The political signal from EU countries underscores that disagreements over sanctions and responses to Russian activities could intensify if policy changes are initiated centrally.

Context

The situation has arisen in the context of ongoing sanctions against Russia, imposed following the conflict in Syria and later actions in Ukraine.