EU leaders rally behind Ukraine as Zelenskyy seeks €70bn more for the war

EU leaders used the second and final day of a summit in Brussels on Friday to pledge continued support for Ukraine, hosting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at one of the most difficult moments for his country since Russia's invasion four-and-a-half years ago.

European Council President Antonio Costa, standing beside Zelenskyy, said: "This is no time to withdraw support to Ukraine. This is no time to relieve Russia's sanctions. Now it is time to increase our support, to increase our pressure."

The summit took place amid a deepening rift between Washington and Kyiv, raising fears that the United States could pull back intelligence sharing and weapons support. Russian missiles and drones have struck Ukrainian cities daily, and Kyiv's relationship with the US has soured.

Zelenskyy thanked EU leaders and pointedly called them "real leaders" — a remark that appeared to be a dig at US President Donald Trump. Trump last weekend announced that Kyiv and Moscow had agreed not to target each other's energy facilities. Zelenskyy abandoned that deal on Thursday, saying Russia had failed to live up to it, a move Trump called "a disgrace".

Trump has also angered Ukraine by suspending sanctions on Russian oil products and striking a deal with President Vladimir Putin for Moscow to supply large quantities of diesel to global markets. Zelenskyy said the diesel deal "will never be enough to offset the impact of the Strait of Hormuz on global markets. But it will put more money straight into Putin's pocket to fund this war." He also accused Putin of having no real interest in peace talks, saying the Russian leader was "playing with words".

A funding request and a warning

Zelenskyy asked EU leaders for an additional €70bn ($79bn) in funding next year, saying the war will cost €155bn ($174bn). "This is a realistic amount," he said, adding that the support would help Ukraine hold Russia back.

Air defence systems were at the top of his wish list, according to Al Jazeera's Rosie Birchard, who reported that Zelenskyy urged European countries to draw on their own stocks to cover Ukraine's needs in the colder months — something that could mean some states compromising their own national security.

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal told Reuters the EU would probably have to provide a new loan to cover Ukraine's budget gap for next year. "Last winter was already hell, this one will be once again like hell," he said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged continued EU support through the winter, saying Russia was trying to destroy Ukraine's energy and water infrastructure. Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker urged caution over new far-reaching financial commitments, saying the many figures cited needed to be put into context.

Birchard said the solidarity on display was a stark difference from recent messages coming from Washington, though some European officials were appealing to Zelenskyy behind closed doors to dial down his public criticism of Trump, fearing it could put Europeans in a tough position.

Friday's summit came as Russian strikes killed three people in Kharkiv and left hundreds of thousands of people without power in Ukraine. The Kremlin said last week that Ukraine had undermined the possibility of an immediate resumption of peace talks after hitting Moscow with drones during last month's election.

Source: Al Jazeera.