Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, attended the final day of the European Union summit in Brussels, where the leaders of the member countries expressed their support for him and his country during a challenging week.
Strong Support for Ukraine
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, both emphasized the continuation of support for Kyiv. Costa, alongside Zelensky, stated, "This is not the time to reduce support for Ukraine." He also stressed that pressure on Russia must be increased and no sanctions should be lifted until the country stops the war.
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Von der Leyen also clearly stated, "We will not lift any sanctions unless Russia stops this war." These remarks came in response to the recent unilateral decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to lift oil sanctions on Russia and purchase fuel from the Kremlin.
Zelensky's Call for Financial Aid
Zelensky requested at the summit that the European Union provide an additional 70 billion euros (79 billion dollars) to Ukraine so that the country can continue its fight against Russia. He said, "The cost of the war next year will be 155 billion euros, and we need at least 70 billion euros more from you - for our defense, weapons, and resilience."
Zelensky also smiled in response to a question about Trump's remarks that he should be removed from office, saying, "This is my answer." Trump's comments came as he seeks to reduce pressure on himself due to domestic issues in the United States.
During the summit, Zelensky also referred to his meeting with Peter Szijjarto, the Prime Minister of Hungary, stating that the meeting was very good and they discussed relations, the economy, and logistics. Szijjarto also announced that Hungary is ready to provide any necessary diplomatic assistance to achieve a ceasefire and lasting peace.
This summit took place as Kyiv reported limitations on the use of Elon Musk's Starlink system, which Ukraine relies on for its military communications. Additionally, Zelensky emphasized, "We want to end this war as soon as possible, but we currently see no signs from Russia indicating readiness to do so."
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