Zelensky urges EU to fund Ukraine with €70 billion as US ties strain

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to European leaders in Brussels for an extra €70 billion ($79 billion) of funding for 2025, saying the amount is realistic and necessary to sustain Ukraine’s defence against Russia. He emphasized that the United States continues to back Kyiv, adding that American public opinion favours the Ukrainian cause.

"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 dispute has raised concerns in Europe about a possible shift in U.S. policy toward Moscow.

European officials expressed solidarity with Ukraine. European Council President Antonio Costa warned against withdrawing support or easing sanctions on Russia, urging increased assistance and 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.