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A few days ago, Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever publicly called for the normalization of relations with Russia, but after sharp criticism of himself, he made it clear that he did not mean normalization now, but rather after the end of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
in interview De Viver told the Belgian newspaper L’Echo, published on Saturday, March 14: “We are losing on all fronts. We must end the conflict for the benefit of Europe.” The Belgian Prime Minister added that Europe must rearm and restore relations with Russia, because “Russia can only be brought to its knees with 100% support from the United States,” which is currently unavailable. De Wever stressed that restoring relations with Moscow would allow the European Union to receive Russian gas again.
We must normalize relations with Russia and restore access to cheap energy. This is common sense. European leaders secretly agree with me, but no one dares to say it out loud. We must end the conflict for Europe’s benefit, without being naive to Putin.
After the interview, De Wever was criticized within the European Union and in his own government. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevost said that normalizing relations with Russia now – while Moscow refuses to bring European countries to the negotiating table – would be a sign of weakness. He added: “This undermines the European unity that we need now more than ever.” He said he.
European Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen said resuming gas supplies from Russia would be a mistake. He promised that the European Union “will not import a single molecule from Russia in the future.”
The head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, denied De Wever’s words that European leaders support in private talks the resumption of supplies. “I have been behind those closed doors and have never seen such a desire. When we talk with Russia, of course the most important thing is to agree first what we want to talk to them about.” He said In an interview with Reuters published on Monday, March 16.
Callas said that returning to business as usual with Moscow would only lead to new wars. She concluded: “We must be very vigilant and not give Russia what it wants, because their appetite will increase.”
After these statements, De Wever was forced to explain his position. He said on Monday night that he was not advocating a position that conflicted with that of his government, and that he was referring to the possibility of resuming relations with Russia only after the end of the war. He stressed that he only wants to draw attention to the situation in which the European Union does not participate in peace negotiations, but at the same time “pays the price of war.”
It is quite clear that we cannot talk about normalization of relations while there is an aggressive war against Ukraine. I am talking about a possible scenario after the war, after a peace agreement acceptable to both Ukraine and Europe.
Discussion of the resumption of cooperation with Russia on energy resources in Europe began against the backdrop of the war between the United States and Israel with Iran – due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, supplies of liquefied gas from countries of the region, which constitute a significant share of EU imports, were threatened. This led to a sharp rise in energy prices in global markets.
At the end of 2025, De Wever’s position played a decisive role in the European Union abandoning plans to confiscate frozen Russian assets and transfer them to Ukraine. Then the prime minister of Belgium, home to the Euroclear warehouse where most of this money is stored, pointed to the risk of lawsuits from Moscow against his country — and called on the rest of the EU to provide legal guarantees that liability for such claims, if brought, would be shared. It was not possible to reach agreement on such guarantees, and the idea of withdrawing Russian funds was abandoned.
War in pictures. Zaporozhye
Zaporozhye, a regional center with a population of about 500,000, is located dozens of kilometers from the front line. The Russian army regularly attacks the city using drones, guided bombs and multiple missile launch systems.
War through the eyes of Medusa readers
Medusa’s readers live in different countries and have different attitudes toward war. We publish your messages to see this event through your eyes. Our editors try to represent all viewpoints, even if they do not match the editorial position. However, in accordance with the Medusa Law, we do not publish messages that contain “hate speech,” justify the killing of civilians, or express direct support for an aggressive war.
Ivan (Odessa). At the beginning of the war, everything was seen differently. Many people genuinely felt uplifted and ready to defend their homeland and freedom. There was a feeling of unity and belief that through joint efforts we could survive.
Over time, the mood changed. There is more and more talk about corruption, injustice and the fact that those far from the front are starting to make money from the war. People become tired and frustrated.
For me personally, this topic is particularly painful. I have serious problems with my spine, which in theory would prevent me from serving the ball. But in practice, the paperwork turns out to be very difficult. Some suggest that it is almost impossible to solve such issues without money. As a result, many people find themselves between fear and despair.
For this reason, distrust of the government and feelings of injustice are growing. More and more people doubt the future of the country, and believe that corruption permeates all areas and undermines public confidence.
I’m not writing about this out of hate, but out of pain and anxiety. I would like there to be more honesty, justice and respect for people in such a difficult period that the country is going through.