Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met European Union leaders in Brussels on Friday, pressing for energy, air defence and financial support ahead of winter as relations between Kyiv and Washington frayed over US policy toward Russia.
Zelenskiy joined the second day of an EU summit in Brussels after a string of bilateral meetings with European leaders. He has urged allies to step up support as Russia intensifies bombardment of Ukraine's power system before winter.
Ukraine faces an unfunded budget gap for next year of $32.6 billion, Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko said recently, and that does not include an estimated $40 billion in direct military supplies from allies. Zelenskiy told Reuters earlier this month that Ukraine had agreed a plan with European partners to close a $27 billion deficit in its military spending for this year.
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten said he was unhappy with the number of countries willing to pledge new financial support, but expected several countries to pledge more military support soon. "Today will be more about talking to Zelenskiy about how to deal with the complex diplomatic situation that has arisen and how to survive the winter," he said.
The meeting came amid a bitter row with US President Donald Trump, who has demanded Ukraine stop striking Russian oil refineries and called the renewed attacks a "disgrace". European leaders, in contrast, have broadly backed Kyiv, with French President Emmanuel Macron saying it was crucial Ukraine receive "all the means necessary to protect itself" and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk posting: "YOU ARE NOT ALONE."