Donald Trump had called for a new Ukrainian president while defending a diesel supply deal with Russia.
Dutch prime minister Rob Jetten expressed disappointment at the level of new financial commitments made by European countries, while indicating that further military assistance could be announced.
But we will see several countries pledging more military support soon,” Jetten said. “Today will be more about talking to Zelenskyy about how to deal with the complex diplomatic situation that has arisen and how to survive the winter.” European leaders are preparing to reassure Ukraine of their continued support as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets them in Brussels, with Kyiv facing intensifying Russian attacks, uncertainty over US assistance and mounting financial needs ahead of winter. “I am unhappy with the number of countries that have been willing to pledge new financial support to Ukraine. He added that the discussions would focus on helping Ukraine navigate the diplomatic challenges and withstand the winter.
Strikes in the Volyn region, which borders Poland, left 370,000 people without electricity, while emergency power cuts were introduced in Kyiv during Russian attacks, private energy provider DTEK said on X. Because a war is a very costly thing, zelenskyy, he said, “will probably look everybody straight in the eye and say, thank you for the 90 billion, but that money is going to run out.
Trump said Ukraine and Russia had agreed not to target each other’s energy infrastructure, an announcement that took Zelenskyy by surprise last weekend. Well, I think that’s a disgrace,” Trump said in an interview with the Newsmax news outlet. The Ukrainian president, meanwhile, said there was little indication that Moscow was ready to end the war and warned that Kyiv needed to prepare for the coming winter. We don’t see now signals from the Russian side that they are ready for this, to end this war, that’s why we have to prepare for the winter,” Zelenskyy said as he arrived at the summit. “The winter package is not only energy, it’s also air defence and funding,” he said, adding that he would discuss Ukraine’s requirements for the rest of this year and 2027. It is also in the interest of Trump to defend Ukraine in this war,” he said when asked about the US president’s latest remarks. Drone attacks on Kharkiv killed three people, according to local authorities. President Vladimir Putin said the strikes had caused “nothing particularly significant”. De Wever said European governments would need to decide whether they were prepared to sustain their commitments. “So are you, as a European family, still willing, ready and able to put your money where your mouths are and support Ukraine and keep Ukrainian society and Ukrainian defence up and running?” he said.
The summit comes amid fresh tensions between Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump, who has criticised Ukraine’s fresh attacks on Russian oil refineries and accused Kyiv of driving up global energy prices. Trump reiterated his criticism after Ukraine struck a refinery southeast of Moscow that helps supply the Russian capital. “All he’s doing is making the world oil price higher. “We want to end this war as quick as possible. Jetten also criticised Trump’s language towards Ukraine, arguing that Washington had a stake in helping Kyiv defend itself. “This is not the right language. Russian continues to target Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure, increasing concerns over the country’s ability to maintain electricity supplies as temperatures fall. Russia, however, has played down the impact of Ukraine’s attacks on its oil infrastructure. Moscow has also placed local assets belonging to French, German, Swedish and Dutch companies under temporary management, a move described as retaliation for the European Union’s support for Ukraine. The dispute over energy infrastructure has added another complication for European leaders, who are already grappling with higher energy prices following the war involving Iran. Belgian prime minister Bart De Wever warned that Ukraine’s funding needs would remain substantial even with the support already pledged by Europe. The uncertainty surrounding US support extends beyond Trump’s criticism of Ukraine’s military strategy. The possibility of sanctions relief has added to European concerns over Washington’s approach to Moscow, particularly as Ukraine continues to rely on Western intelligence, weapons and financial assistance.
EU leaders criticised Trump’s proposed arrangement concerning diesel supplies, while divisions over the energy crisis emerged among member states at the summit on Thursday. A US official said on Wednesday that the administration was considering easing sanctions on vessels belonging to the so-called shadow fleet, which has transported oil and petroleum products from countries including Russia.
Zelenskyy told Reuters earlier this month that Ukraine had agreed on a plan with European partners to cover a $27 billion deficit in military spending this year, allowing it to order drones needed to sustain its war effort into early 2027. However, finance minister Sergii Marchenko recently said Ukraine still faced an unfunded budget gap of $32.6 billion for next year. That figure does not include an estimated $40 billion in direct military supplies expected from allies. With Russian attacks continuing and Ukraine preparing for another winter of war, Zelenskyy’s Brussels visit is expected to focus on securing the support needed to sustain the country’s defence and keep essential services running into 2027.
Financial and military assistance is expected to feature prominently in discussions as Kyiv faces a substantial funding shortfall. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.