Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended the final day of an EU summit in Brussels on Friday as European leaders pledged continued support for the Ukrainian leader and his country in a turbulent week.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa both took the fore in calling on allies to continue their support of Kyiv as it faces increased Russian attacks and detrimental US foreign policy decisions.
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"This is no time to withdraw support to Ukraine," said Costa as he stood next to the Ukrainian president. "This is no time to relieve Russia's sanctions. Now it is time to increase our support, to increase our pressure."
"One thing is absolutely clear," pledged von der Leyen, "we will not lift any sanctions unless Russia stops this war."
The EU leaders' remarks come just one week after Ukraine and its European allies were blindsided by US President Donald Trump's unilateral decision to lift sanctions on Russian oil exports and purchase diesel from the Kremlin after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
On Wednesday, a US official said Washington was also considering easing sanctions on Russia's shadow fleet — unflagged tankers that turn off transponders to transport and transfer illicit oil while circumventing international export sanctions.
After undermining years of Western sanctions against Russia over its illegal invasion of Ukraine, Trump is now seeking to increase pressure on Ukraine — calling for Zelenskyy to be replaced as its leader and blasting Kyiv's targeting of Russian energy infrastructure as a "disgrace."
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Upon arrival at Friday's Brussels summit, Zelenskyy said, "We want to end this war as quick as possible. 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."
"The winter package is not only energy, it's also air defense and funding," he added.
When asked after his meeting with EU leaders if Trump was scapegoating him for troubles in the US, Zelensky gave a knowing smile and stayed mum. "This is my answer," the Ukrainian president said, as journalists broke into laughter at a press conference in Brussels.
Trump last week justified his calls for Zelenskyy to be removed from office by claiming the Ukrainian leader did not want to stop the war — which Russia launched on February 24, 2022 — as well as attempting to divert anger over high global fuel prices away from his own war in Iran, which triggered the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and sent global oil and gas prices through the roof.
"All he's doing is making the world oil price higher," Trump told far-right US media outlet Newsmax on Thursday. Asked about Ukraine resuming attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, Trump said, "Well, I think that's a disgrace."
Earlier this week, Kyiv reported restrictions on its use of Elon Musk's Starshield system, Starlink's military-grade satellite service which Ukraine relies on for its battlefield communications, mid-range strikes on Russian-occupied territories and interceptor drones.
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Zelenskyy hails 'very good' meeting with Hungary PM
The Ukrainian president also praised his first bilateral meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar on the sidelines of the summit.
"We had a very good meeting," Zelenskyy told reporters in Brussels. He added that he and Magyar had discussed "many things, including relations, the economy, and logistics — all of which are important to our two countries."
Zelenskyy also said that he "won't mind" visiting Budapest.
After meeting, Magyar announced that Budapest and Kyiv had agreed to put their relations on a new footing.
"I assured the Ukrainian president of my full solidarity over the inhuman Russian aggression against his country," Magyar wrote in a Facebook post. He also said that Hungary was ready to assist Ukraine by all possible diplomatic means to reach a ceasefire and lasting peace.
The meeting occurred just days after Kyiv passed legislation addressing Budapest's long-standing concerns regarding the rights of the ethnic Hungarian minority in western Ukraine.
Edited by: Rana Taha
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