Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever's call for Europe to normalize relations with Russia and resume cheap energy imports has drawn sharp criticism from EU officials. De Wever, leader of the Flemish nationalist party NVA, argued in an interview that Europe must 'regain access to cheap energy' and that 'behind closed doors' leaders agree with him. Russian President Vladimir Putin is central to his proposal to end the Ukraine war. However, his comments were met with immediate condemnation at a Brussels meeting. Swedish Energy Minister Ebba Busch declared, 'We will not buy gas from Russia. We will not fuel the Russian war machinery,' warning that reversing energy sanctions would 'completely lose our moral compass.'

Lithuanian diplomat Kestutis Budrys echoed this sentiment, stating 'we know it by experience on our skin, there is nothing more expensive in this world than the cheap Russian oil.' The EU has significantly reduced Russian energy imports since the Ukraine invasion but plans to phase out gas by 2027 and ban remaining oil imports. Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen emphasized the bloc's determination to avoid dependency, stating 'we are determined to stay on course.'

De Wever's stance follows his opposition to using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine aid, leading to a €90 billion EU loan now blocked by Hungary. His comments also sparked internal government criticism, with Deputy PM Maxime Prévot distinguishing 'dialog is not the same as normalization,' arguing such talk signals 'weakness' and undermines 'European unity we need now more than ever.'

The intervention highlights deep divisions within Europe over how to handle Russia, balancing energy security, moral obligations, and geopolitical strategy.