Zelensky presses EU for €70 billion as Trump-era tensions shake support for Ukraine
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked EU leaders for an additional €70 billion in aid for 2025, while relations with U.S. President Donald Trump remain fraught and Europe faces pressure to hold the line against Russian aggression.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to European leaders in Brussels for an extra €70 billion ($79 billion) of funding for 2025, insisting the sum is both realistic and essential to keep Ukraine’s defence against Russia standing. He said the United States still backs Kyiv, and added that American public opinion remains in Ukraine’s favor.
"I defend the interests of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people exclusively," Zelensky told journalists after the meeting.
Zelensky’s request comes amid a sharp deterioration in relations with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has eased sanctions on Russia and criticised Kyiv’s recent strikes on Russian refineries. The clash has heightened fears in Europe that Washington may be drifting toward Moscow.
European officials expressed solidarity with Ukraine. European Council President Antonio Costa warned against withdrawing support or easing sanctions on Russia, urging more assistance and more pressure. Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten described the situation as “truly dire” and called for unconditional European support.
The EU, which is already disbursing installments of a €90-billion loan to Ukraine through 2027, faces calls to tap frozen Russian central-bank assets—estimated at around €200 billion—to finance additional aid. Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs argued that the frozen assets should be used for Ukraine, though Belgium, where most of the funds are held, remains opposed.
Zelensky also addressed recent disruptions to the Starshield satellite communications system provided by SpaceX, noting that speed had been partially restored. Elon Musk, who has publicly criticised Zelensky, denied his company’s involvement in the outage, and a U.S. official rejected claims of Trump’s interference.