International

EU summit: Zelensky urges support as U.S. aid to Ukraine stalls

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his gratitude for European support on Thursday, ahead of the emergency European Union summit in Brussels.

Standing alongside European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Zelensky reiterated the importance of this support at a critical moment for Ukraine, according to the BBC.

"I want to thank all European leaders for their strong and unwavering support. Since the very beginning of the war, throughout this entire period—including last week—you have stood by us. We are profoundly grateful not to be alone."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the urgency of the situation: "Europe faces a clear and immediate threat and must be able to defend itself."

She added that Ukraine must be empowered to protect itself and work toward a just and lasting peace. "We seek a peaceful force, which is why today I am presenting the European Rearmament Plan to leaders. This plan allocates up to €800 billion in defense investments."

The European Council convened an emergency summit in Brussels to discuss ongoing support for Ukraine and to decide on measures to strengthen European defense. The meeting follows last week's dispute between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart at the White House, as well as the suspension of U.S. military aid to Kyiv.

Among the summit's top priorities, convened by the European Commission President, is bolstering European defense in response to the Russian threat, especially in light of diminished U.S. support. Leaders will also discuss the use of frozen Russian assets, seized since the start of the war.

The biggest obstacle to reaching a unified stance remains Hungary, under Viktor Orbán, and Slovakia, under Robert Fico, both of whom have threatened to veto aid to Ukraine. The summit follows a recent meeting in London, where the primary focus was also Ukraine and Europe's defense strategy.

Although the summit will release a statement of support and outline plans for increased defense spending, Europe is not expected to fully compensate for the suspended U.S. aid.

Translation by Iurie Tataru

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