European Union leaders have urged continued support for Ukraine amid a deepening rift between Washington and Kyiv that has raised fears the country could be left more exposed to Russian attacks heading into the winter. Top EU officials stressed the need to keep arming Ukraine and sanctioning Russia on Friday, the second and final day of an EU summit in Brussels attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Now it is time to increase our support, to increase our pressure.” The EU is hosting Zelenskyy at one of the most difficult moments for Ukraine, four-and-a-half years after neighbouring Russia invaded it.
Russian missiles and drones have rained down on Ukrainian cities daily, and Kyiv’s souring relationship with the United States has sparked fears that Washington could pull back crucial intelligence sharing and weapons support. Arriving at the summit, Zelenskyy thanked EU leaders for their support and pointedly referred to them as “real leaders”. That remark appeared to be a dig at US President Donald Trump, who last weekend blindsided the Ukrainian president by announcing 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 Russian President Vladimir Putin for Moscow to supply large quantities of diesel to global markets. And we need at least 70 billion euros more from you – for defence, for weapons and for our resilience,” the Ukrainian president said.
And I ask you to find this support. It will help us hold Russia back.” Al Jazeera’s Rosie Birchard, reporting from the summit in Brussels, said Zelenskyy made an “emotional plea” for European support, with air defence systems at the top of his “wish list”. Zelenskyy appealed to European countries to dig into their own stocks to help cover Ukraine’s needs in the colder winter months, said Birchard.
European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen pledged continued EU support for Ukraine through the winter. But we stand by your side. We will support you as we did in the other winters,” she said.
Austria, however, urged caution in the debate over new, far-reaching financial commitments to Ukraine. Al Jazeera’s Birchard said the general European solidarity for Zelenskyy was a stark difference from recent messages coming from Washington. However, Birchard added that some European officials were said to be appealing to Zelenskyy behind closed doors to “kind of dial down” his public criticism of Trump, which they fear could put Europeans in a tough position.
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