Russia summons Belgian ambassador over freezing Russian accounts

Russia's Foreign Ministry summoned the Belgian ambassador on Thursday, informing him that Russia may adopt reciprocal measures if asset seizures are not reversed, according to Sputnik International.

Russia may be forced to consider retaliatory measures if Belgium continues persists with the seizure of assets belonging to Russian organizations in the country, Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

A Belgian court instructed on Wednesday that 47 Belgian and Russian companies be stripped of assets to the tune of 1.65 billion euros ($1.87 billion) in connection to a settlement awarded to former Yukos shareholders by a Dutch arbitration court. Russia's Justice Ministry Alexander Konovalov said that Belgium's legal arguments for seizing Russian property are unclear and that it has requested information regarding through diplomatic channels.

"The Belgian ambassador was informed that the Russian side considers such acts by competent authorities of the Kingdom of Belgium as openly unfriendly acts and flagrant violations of universally recognized norms of international law," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry called on Belgium to take immediate action to restore the property of Russian organizations. The seizures appear to be made under the auspices of the European Energy Charter Treaty, which Russia signed but did not ratify.